Tale of the Sun and Moon
by GNY-002 Gundam Sadalsuud
Summary: Brother and sister, Kamado Tanjirou and Nezuko left their home with good tidings to go down the mountain to sell charcoal to the town in what they knew as a normal day. Then, tragedy struck them as they arrive back home to see their whole family dead by the hands of another leaving them with nothing but each other as the only remaining family.
1. Chapter 1

I've seen demon Tanjirou, demon Tanjirou and Nezuko, and demon slayer Nezuko, but never both Kamado siblings as demon slayers. So, I thought I'd write one so this is the result. Ideally, I'd like this story to end in whole season 1. Title and Summary prone to change later on.

Edit 11/30/19: Small corrections.

* * *

Tanjiro and Nezuko waved at their family goodbye as they went to town carrying tons of charcoal on the basket on their back. It was winter, and Tanjiro was sure that their goods would sell well with the people who needed warmth from the cold weather.

With what he and Nezuko would sell, Tanjirou was sure that they can afford to buy things for their family. A lovely new dress for Nezuko, Hanako and their mother deserving of their beauty for all the good things they did for them all; like taking care of their younger brother since he can't keep an eye on them all the time to keep them in line.

"Nezuko," he said breaking the silence aside from their footsteps digging on the snow. "I wonder if they will be okay without us."

Nezuko stifled a giggle. "Don't worry too much, niisan or you'll grow old quickly. They'll be fine."

"I need to Nezuko." He sighed as his shoulder slumped. _After all__,__ father entrusted the family to me when he died. _"It's my job to worry."

"Anyways, are you sure you're okay going with me? You know the town is really far away."

She hummed and nodded. "It's fine, niisan. Don't worry about me. I'm used to it from all those times I accompanied you."

"But you never accompanied me on winter before." He glanced at his sister before looking ahead. "Aren't you feeling too cold? Or feeling the load of the basket yet?"

"I do feel cold," Nezuko admitted. When Tanjirou turned to Nezuko, she was smiling. "But I know I can bear the weight in the snow like you do if it means helping our family in the long run. So, don't worry much about me."

"Okay," he said complying with her wishes. But the moment anything happens to Nezuko, Tanjirou would carry her and her load without question if it meant getting help from the town. "Do you want anything?" he then asked.

A small smile found it's way on his face when Nezuko blushed and shook her head. "I… I don't want anything, niisan. I'd rather save whatever we earned in case we need it."

Tanjirou laughed much to Nezuko's chagrin who harrumphed. "Let your big brother worry about those things, Nezuko, and just buy something you'll enjoy! Treat yourself once in a while. Just do this for me, please."

"But shouldn't you do that to yourself too? You carry many burdens by taking care of us by providing food."

"Heh heh," he grinned unabashedly. "It's my job to take care of everyone. Let me worry about you guys."

The sun was already on the peak of the heavens when they arrived at the town. Nezuko was only somewhat tired much to Tanjirou's relief. Aside from her small discrete shivering, of course, it was all good.

"Oh, Tanjirou-chan and Nezuko-chan! What are you two doing down here with this weather!" Matsuri-obaasan, a shop owner, greeted them with a wide smile. "You two will catch a cold."

"Did someone say, Tanjiro?" In front of Matsuri-obaasan's store came out Ken-ojisan came out of his house. "Ooh, Nezuko-chan came with him. Shame on you Tanjiro-kun for letting your sister carry something heavy as that!"

"Don't worry about it, Ken-ojisan. I'm the one who insisted to come with him." She chuckled.

"Still, do be careful Nezuko-chan." The older man stated. "I'll buy charcoal please."

"Tanjirou-kun! Please sniff this! Please tell them I'm telling the truth that it wasn't me."

Leaning down on the reached out ceramic held by hand in a white blanket, Tanjirou sniffed the object. He recognized the fur that has been through the trash and everywhere else on the town. "It's a cat," he told them plainly much to Ryu-san's relief.

"See! I told you!"

"Thank you for repairing the door last time. I'll buy some charcoal, please."

"Nezuko-chan," a man said waving at them. "I'll buy some."

They traveled throughout the town selling the much-needed charcoal of the people. By the time they were finished, it was nearly twilight so they had to hurry home. Of course, Tanjirou opted to stay since it was colder at night, but Nezuko would have none of it and insisted that they go home.

* * *

On their way up to the mountain, he eyed the obvious shiver of Nezuko.

"I told you that we should have stayed," said Tanjirou with a small grin on his face as he looked at his shivering sister. "Here," he said dropping the empty basket and giving her his haori. "You can use mine."

Nezuko frowned. "What about you, niisan? Won't you be cold?"

Tanjirou grinned assuredly. "It's fine. I'm used to the cold." He stopped his fingers from shivering because his sister was eyeing him suspiciously. A small sigh of relief came out of his lips when she accepted his kimono to double layer herself.

So, as they walk, Tanjirou remembered what his father taught him in keeping out the cold. He breathed deeply and slowly, calming his body and feeling warm somewhat. His hands and foot shivered from time to time, but it wasn't as evident as before as he could control it now.

_Good_, he thought when he saw Saburou-ojisan's house on the distance.

"We're nearly there," Nezuko said in relief. "Just hang in there, niisan." He heard his sister mutter the last part but shook his head at her caring for him. He, the eldest brother, was supposed to be the one doing the caring and worrying. It was his burden, not the younger sibling's.

"Still," he frowned looking at the setting sky. "It's getting late. We better hurry. I don't want you catching cold."

"Me?" Asked a bewildered Nezuko. "You're the one with less clothing."

"I told you, I'm used to this by now," he insisted.

"Oi! Tanjirou, Nezuko!" He looked back to see Saburo-ojisan on his window with worries creasing his face. His head darted around for a second before beckoning them to him. "It's dangerous to be still out this time of night. Come on, I'll set you two some dinner and bed."

"I can smell any—"

"It's not about that!" He snapped gesturing at them to come inside. He sighed. "Please, just come inside for your safety."

He wondered what was so dangerous that Saburo-ojisan was so adamant in them not staying late when he wasn't usually that pushy. Still, looking at Nezuko's now pale face and uncontrollable trembling, Tanjirou immediately knew his answer. He nodded and led his sister to the man's house.

If it wasn't wild animals that could potentially attack them, it would be the cold that could snuff out any heat his sister had. _Or both_, a paranoid voice in his mind said.

When they entered the house, the man quickly shut the door and windows then locked it tightly. Questions rose from his mind, but he did not dare say it because he knew the old man would eventually tell them what was worrying him.

"It's not much, but please, eat." He told them as he set down the food in front of them.

Tanjirou's cheeks heated. "It's fine, Saburo-ojisan. This is too much for us." Nezuko hummed in agreement.

"Thank you for the meal!" He and Nezuko said at the same time before eating.

They ate in silence and appreciating the food served at them. It was only after the when they ate did their host cleared his throat and gaining their attention. The old man stared deeply into his eyes before boring into his sister's.

"You two shouldn't travel at night. Man-eating demons lurk at this time," he finally said after a minute of silence. "Demons lurk and hunt people in the dark. They will prey on you and eat you without mercy. That's why I thought it best you two spend the night here."

_Demons_, he heard the same thing from their grandmother from long ago when he and Nezuko were young. Truthfully, he never put much thought about it aside as tales to scare children straight.

"Demons?" Nezuko asked just as their host cleaned the table and got up to get the futon. "Our grandma told us the same things before she died. I always thought of demons as legends to scare kids from wandering at night."

He nodded as he set the bed. "She was wise to tell you so for such things are not mere legends," he said gravely, his voice going deep and low to a whisper but loud enough to be heard by them. "They prey upon those they deem weak."

Beckoning them to the bed Saburo-ojisan, took the one closest to the door, Tanjirou took the middle one, while Nezuko slept on the one near the wall.

Tanjirou raised his head and looked at their host who slept looking at the door. "Can demons enter houses?"

"Yes," he replied which froze Tanjirou. "But, just as there are demons in the dark, there are the great hunters that kills it for us."

* * *

Come the morning, after a quick breakfast they said their goodbyes to their gracious host which warmed and fed them for the night. He promised to himself to repay Saburo-ojisan later.

He froze, the smell of iron was in the air and getting stronger as they went closer. _Blood. _His heart sped up the smell of blood wafted to his nose. It spread inside the house. Millions of thought came to him, but only one stood out; _did an animal attack them?_ _Wolf? Bear? What!_ He silently prayed to Kami-sama over and over to please let their family be safe, but the more he got close the more hope faded in his heart.

Nezuko called behind him, but he didn't answer to not worry her in hopes it was just his paranoia taking over. _Please__,__ please__,__ please__,__ let me be wrong._

Sprawling on the cold snow unmoving was his mother cradling someone. "Mom!" he called but no answer came. As he turned her over, his heart exploded and he blinked away the moist in his eyes as he stared at his family's empty expression. "Mom, Hanako!" He shook them but still, they did not move. They were asleep. _Permanently_. "Please say something."

"Mom!" Came Nezuko's cry behind him.

"Nezuko," he said standing up and gesturing to her with shaking arms. "Stay…," he swallowed hard, "s-stay here with mom and Hanako. I'll check on the others."

His eyes widened at seeing their once humble home torn down. Every object was strewn haphazardly. The blood… oh, Kami-sama… it was everywhere! He had to be brave! What kind of monster could do such a thing! Not for one second did he believe it was the work of any animal in the area.

He looked away for a second and resisting the desire to throw up from the strong smell of blood as he ran to his other siblings. On the edge of the tatami before the door, they laid there still and holding each other. "Takeo! Shigeru! Rokuta! Please answer me!" he said shaking them awake, but still their wide-open eyes remained glassy staring into the distance above. His chest constricted in holding the three of them tightly and hoped that his warmth will bring them back from Shinigami-sama's arms. "Please, please, come back to us," he muttered.

To whom, he cared not as long as his prayer was answered!

For Tanjirou, it was forever that he sat there cradling his siblings, but eventually, he had to let go and accept the bitter truth of their reality now; that no amount of crying and pleading would turn back time. He wiped away the tears and blinked as he gently set them down. He hid his surprise when he felt an arm around his waist and his sobbing sister behind him that wasn't there before.

"Nezuko" What was once a lively home of theirs, was now desolated and full of silence that his voice echoed constricting his chest more. But he had to move, not for himself, but for his family and Nezuko. "Please go to the shed and grab a shovel."

His sister jerked and the arms loosen. Tanjirou walked around their house searching for the finest sheet he could find while avoiding looking at his and Nezuko's family lined up by the on the edge of the tatami near the door.

Wordlessly, he wrapped his family's body with the sheets while holding his breath. When the snow on the door shuffled, he was quick to turn and look only to see Nezuko with the shovel. "Just… wait in the back."

_It's all my fault. _The thought echoed in his heart. If he had chosen to not stayed the night then… "I could have done something." He could have done something to prevent this. "Damn it." Heavy dark remorse swirled in his chest at the thought knowing he could have done something to help them. _I'm sorry, everyone. _

In the silence of their house, he wept and hoped that Nezuko would not see his brother in such a state as he wrapped their bodies.

The burial was silent, only Nezuko's weeping along with his digging made a sound. When all was said and done, he stood there holding his sister gently as a pot as she trembled while they gazed at five small mounds of dirt on their backyard.

His chest tightened with each second but still, he did not cry anymore for he had to be strong for Nezuko. As he gazed silently at their family, all he remembered was their resigned yet scared faces with five thin scratches all over their bodies. He knew no wolf could have done that. No bear would travel during their hibernation. There were no more animals that could threaten them than those two, so what struck them down. What did this to them, he promised he would find it.

He may not the answers, but he knew one thing. It stood out in his memory and he would not forget it soon, not ever. It would be ingrained in his mind for as long as he lived.

_The smell of decay__,__ death__,__ and malice_, he promised he would not forget it_. _The scent trail may be gone, but he would search for the one that has remembered that scent.

_Mom__,__ dad__,__ everyone. I promise to protect Nezuko. _Fist clenched, he silently promised to himself. _I will find whatever did this to everyone._

"I'm too late."

* * *

:)


	2. Chapter 2

I appreciate and thank those who like and fave this simple story of mine. Tbh, I wasn't sure if I can write a good story with my subpar writing. Lol but I just thought eff it and upload away. :)

gvillamia: I am considering the idea but I already wrote ch2 when you suggested this. Imo, Finding all the answers in their house is too convenient for me which I am doing my best to avoid. The idea of a book or a record about Breath of the Sun holds merit since it's a wide world. Someone's go to haveta record stashed away somewhere. I make no promises I will do it, but I'll consider it. I will think about it, and if I will do it, it will come in later chapters. The sword, I'm unsure about using it than the book idea. As for Nezuko, I have other plans for her aside from Breath of Water.

Cieszesi: *Manga Spoilers* I am flexible and considering your idea and had one or two ideas of how I would do it. But no promises though. Also, without Nezuko becoming the only demon capable of walking in the sun, this means Muzan will really search far and wide for that Blue Spider Lily to achieve his desired perfection. And if his existence is threatened before he could get it...

12/3/19: first edit. Will edit more later.

* * *

Tanjirou quickly grabbed the hatchet and glared at the man that suddenly appeared before them. Guessing by the man's black clothes, and dual patterned haori of his, the man must come from a city from far away. The only question was, _why is does he have a sword with him?_

The man smelled dominantly of clean water found in springs and rivers and exuded a calm presence that can withstand anything. Not of the stench of decay that stuck to their house and wafting outside could overpower it. He decided to lower the hatchet but pushed Nezuko behind him.

"Who are you," he asked at the approaching man.

"I'm too late." The man bowed. "If only I have been a day early. Apologies."

_What?_ Why was the man apologizing to them? Was he the one that did this? He, of course, knew that whoever was before them was not the killer for his scent was pleasing and had no smell of death and decay that repulsed him.

"Why are you apologizing," Nezuko sniffled but still asked to the bowing and praying man that stood few meters away from them. "You have done nothing wrong."

Tanjirou rapidly blinked away the tears gave the man the best smile he had. "Don't be sorry," he said. "They're in a better place now." He hoped that wherever they were, in the other world or otherwise, they were watching him and Nezuko. "It's not your fault. It was the other scent. Whatever… ki—got our family it was that…"

"Besides," Tanjirou frowned. "It was my fault—"

"Niisan!" said an aghast Nezuko. "It wasn't your fault! It was mine! If I didn't feel so cold then—"

"No!" He grasped and shook her shoulder. "Don't you ever blame yourself."

"Scent?" asked the swordsman which Tanjirou was thankful for the topic switching.

He sighed and drooped stopping himself from clutching the hatchet tightly in fear it that he would break his fingers. Nodding, he replied, "I remember the scent of the one who did this. He had…" He shivered but composed himself. How could he explained it clearly to someone who doesn't have a strong sense of smell what he felt? "Reeked the smell of death as if he constantly bathed in blood."

That was best as he could explain it. Vague as it may be, he memorized the scent in his heart for he knew he would find it. He had to, for their family.

"I see." the man said as he stood to their family after praying. "You two are lucky to be alive."

"Lucky?" Nezuko shifted uncomfortably. "What killed… everyone?"

"Demons."

Tanjrou froze when the man said that. The tales Saburo-ojisan and their grandma told him. _They're_… _real?_ He thought they were just bedtime stories for kids. "Demons are—"

"Real." The man told him without batting an eye saying it plainly. "It's the one that killed your family."

Demons killed their family? The words rang in his head multiple times as he stood there unmoving that he may as well died. Was it disbelief that demons are real? Disbelief that their family is dead?

Looking at his hands, it seemed he had dropped his hatchet. "Why?" For what reason would a demon kill their family? Did they wrong that person in some way?!

"Demons are humans turned monster and kill for no reason other than to satisfy their hunger for flesh."

Why. Why would anyone suffer such fate like that? To be eaten by beings that used to be people. Tanjirou didn't like it, but his heart beat faster than it ever in his whole life and he why.

"How can a demon be killed." As he said this, the flames in his heart burned brighter than ever as was his will that pointed northward surely.

"Nii-chan!"

"I have to do this, Nezuko. For our family." His fist and body trembled, not out of fear, but justice that needed to be paid. The desire burned in his very bones. "To avenge them. And to stop this from happening to anyone else."

"You can't."

"I ca—"

"Not as you are now," he said midspeech of Tanjirou. "Killing a demon requires strength and will beyond what you have now."

Nezuko went out of hiding behind him and grasped his hand making Tanjirou ease his fist. "How do you know that?"

"Because I am a Demon Slayer. Part of the organization that hunts demons."

"_Demon Slayer_," he repeated the word. Was that was Saburo-ojisan was talking about last night? _Just as there are demons in the dark__,_ _there are great hunters which kills it for us_, he remembered the old man's words. "What difference does it make."

"A great difference."

"Then…" Swallowing heavily, Tanjirou picked up the hatchet and put it back on its holster while his eye remained vigilant on the man. "Then, I will be a Demon Slayer! I will bring down the demon that did this to us and prevent more from happening."

"I see," the man said without an ounce of inflection in his words before turning but his head turned to them. His single eye that coldly gazed back at him chilled but still, he met it. "The training will test your spirit, crush your body and will, and full of danger. Are you prepared for such a cruel training."

"We are!"

"Nezuko!" Wide eyes in shock, he turned to his sister narrowing her eyes at the swordsman. This was the most expressive he had seen Nezuko in all his life. The well mannered Nezuko shouting at a man they just met. "You… you… I—"

"You're the only family left, niichan." Nezuko's soft hands caressed his calloused hand as she then smiled at him sadly. "I can't leave you alone. Even if you have to go through Shinigami-sama, I want to be with you. I will be with you."

No words left Tanjirou's mouth as he blinked swiftly. "But… this could be dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt!"

"I don't want you getting hurt too! We will be fine as long as we are together."

He didn't want to leave Nezuko, but this demon slaying business could get dangerous and he didn't want to lose his only family left! Still, what was he supposed to do? He can't leave her. He promised his mom he would look after her and battling demon was far from safety he promised.

Tanjirou, reluctant as he was, smiled at Nezuko and hugged her while keeping the tears at bay. "I promise that I will always protect you so that you won't have to fight."

"Very well." The man walked away. "Go to the foot of Mt. Sagiri and find a man named Urokodaki Sakonji."

* * *

After cleaning their house and said their goodbye to their loved ones, they went on their way with nothing but the things their family cherished and weapon to defend themselves.

But before the two of them could start their journey, they said their thanks and final farewell to Saburo-ojisan who shared with them what supplies he had.

As he gazed at the shrinking town that they had known all their life, the sadness in Tanjirou's heart grew heavy knowing they were leaving their life behind along with the people they knew and loved. But it was inevitable for it was the only path he could see for he could see. He didn't think he can return to their life before with such a hole in their life and knowledge of blood-sucking demons lurking at night.

They traveled far and long until the familiar cold and snowy fields became unfamiliar snowy grasslands and plains. If it wasn't for the people along the way the guided them, he knew that they would have gotten lost.

With what little money they had, they bought food even though some really insisted on just giving it to them. That was not the man his father and mother raised.

On their first night, they found a cave and he and found warmth with his limited knowledge of outdoor survival. They laid down on the ground shivering even with their thick blankets. Eyes full of concern, he stared at Nezuko silently.

He sighed, releasing what sadness he could that he had deep in his heart. "I'm sorry it'd come to this, Nezuko. If only I just—...," he said combing is wild hair with his hand. "Didn't make us stop for the night."

The flickering flames served to break the silence between when she didn't reply. What could she be thinking? He can't see it with her back turned on him.

Her sadness radiated off her being. He too wanted to cry but he had to be strong for her. Crawling to her, he draped his blanked onto her. "I'm sorry, Nezuko."

Even as he hugged her and hands slowly toucher her in reassurance, still her cries never stopped. "Nezuko, please, talk to me. I... I'm sorry."

"No," she said wiping her nose. "It's my fault. If I didn't freeze then maybe... Maybe..."

"It's alright." He shushed her. "It's not your fault."

_Let me carry the pain. Let me live with it._

Come the morning, he hunted and gathered food before traveling again.

All the nights that they were without shelter, they slept on caves or anything that resembles a shelter in the cold weather. Tanjirou didn't want to impose on other people, but he had no choice when people insisted. He counted the fortune they had when other people were nice enough to give them a bed for the night and repay them in any way.

They walked and walked until one day, a grin crossed his face when they saw the landmarks people said they would encounter. Glancing at his sister, she sighed in relief despite the heavy breath she thought she could hide.

They reached the mountain another familiar landmark by night. He knew they were still somewhat far away, but they were more than halfway through.

He was tired, but not as tired as his sister and they may have needed to stop for the night. She may not have said anything, but Tanjirou knew she wanted to rest. And rest they did when they saw stairs leading to a small house.

A single heavy breath and he froze. _Blood. Is someone hurt?_ He thought as he ran towards the house. "I smell blood."

"Niisan!"

"Stay there Nezuko!" he ordered dropping his pack and gesturing for her to stop following. He needed her to stay because all that rang to his thought was uncertainty with demons in the mix. He didn't know how the people got hurt. Was it a murderer? Or someone injured in doing something since the mountain path was tough. He cannot make the choice lightly now that he had demons to account for.

"Is everything al—" Whatever words he had died and silenced on the edge of his mouth when he looked at the familiar sight before him. Unmoving bloodied people laid still and the crunching of flesh.

"Who're you?" Bloody snarling visage of a rugged man greeted him with the nails still raking human flesh. His fangs reflected the light and glowed an eerie red-orange. The scent of blood seeped from the man but not as strong as the one that killed their family.

_No! Don't think about it!_

Tanjirou could not move for the pressure upon his being was too great. _Move! _Trembling hands reached for his hatchet.

The demon jumped towards him but he already has his weapon ready. He grunted when the wind screamed in his ear but swung his hatchet. His back! He wanted to scream but held on as he then skidded on the ground. The demon was fast as he was already up.

The demon bled from his strike but otherwise did not look hurt from it. _Such strength!_ Was this the difference between a human and a demon?!

"Heh," the demon smirked, wiping the blood from his lips. "Nice one. But you see, this will heal in no time." As was said, the once dripping neck wound stopped.

Tanjirou gasped and only to be breathless when the demon suddenly dropped on him and feeling the lack of air. _So…. strong! Fast. Can't move! _With one arm on the choking hand, he pushed with all his might!

The monster grinned while holding him down "You won't get a second chance. Don't worry, I'll kill you quickly before I eat you."

_Nezuko! _His thoughts ran to his sister waiting for him down the stairs. "No!" he screamed in defiance. "No!"

"Tanjirou-niisan!"

_No! Run__,__ Nezuko! _

The demon's once grinning expression turned to snarl in anger when a loud crunching sound echoed into the night as a hatchet buried itself in his head. Arms holding his weapon arm loosened.

Nezuko cried after her strike. They had just killed a per—

"Why… you!"

_It's still alive!?_

Before the demon could do something else, he swung his hatchet tearing the flesh in harsh crushing noise and making it rain blood. He then kicked the body, sending it flying while he gripped the other hatchet and pulling the weapon and striking the head once more making it reach deeper in between the eyes this time.

"You brat! I'll devour you slowly while your girlfriend watches!"

He screamed when pain erupted from his he was once again sent flying but he rolled and landed gripping the edge of the stairs. His vision blurred, but clearly knew it was Nezuko who wrestled with something and his heart jumped when something dark approached her.

"You bitch! When I'm done with you no one will recognize your body!"

Hastily, Tanjirou ran to his sister screaming, "Nezuko!" Spotting the silhouette of the hatchet on the ground, he picked it up then tackling the thing back and swung the weapon down hard. Splitting flesh invaded his ears and blood made him scrunch his nose but he did not stop for it was threatening his sister!

One last slash, he kicked the man down in hoping the demon would stop. When he blinked this time, his vision went back to normal and was shocked to see that it was the body of the demon torn by his fervent attacks.

"Ahh!" the demon screamed. "This is nothing. I'll heal!"

_How do we kill a demon!_

Tanjirou ran to his sister and grabbed the Nezuko's hatchet and threw it at the tree. "Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!"

"Niisan! Look out!" He smelled the shredded body all healed, left with only traces of blood on its skin. Turning, he pointed his weapon at it in hopes that it would stop. Nezuko's voice trembled, and he understood why.

They had just killed a per—

_It's still alive!? _

"I'm gonna shred you to pieces!" The demon disappeared in front of them. Tanjirou pushed his sister back, earning a grunt from her, and ducked thinking that it would be the same attack as last time.

His hatchet met resistance, but he swung it upwards screaming with all his might. He panted, kneeling on the ground but nonetheless happy that he stopped the other half from hurting Nezuko or him for he cut off his right legs and arm.

Tanjirou quickly grabbed Nezuko's hatchet and threw it at a tree. If demons had fast regeneration, then he needed to move quickly before he recovered! So, he threw his chucked his weapon at the head.

"Why won't it die!" Nezuko trembled and fell to the ground breathing heavily. "Is this… are demons immortal?"

Panting, Tanjirou stood by Nezuko's side keeping an eye on the demon head. His hands trembled, he wanted no part of this violence but he needed to do this. If they didn't, then the demon may hurt Nezuko.

His eyes turned to the rock, perhaps he could… But he cannot even walk for nor do anything for his hand shook. _Keep your promise! Protect Nezuko!_

He approached the unconscious head even as the rock threatened to fall from his shaking slippery hands. "I… what do it…," he said.

The demon looked so vulnerable, but it killed the people! He needed to be stopped! He had to do it! He had to! But, what if killing it wasn't the answer? Uncertainty rose in his chest just like flickering fire on the coldest winter night.

He blinked himself out of his stupor when trembling yet soft gentle hands grasped his. Breathing gently, he remembered the breathing techniques his dad taught him from their passed down traditional family ritual dance. When he opened his eyes, he felt lighter and his trembling stopped but the uncertainty never left his chest.

"Ne… zuko."

She nodded as a forlorn smile formed on her lips while helping him carry the rock. Tanjirou frowned since he knew he can carry the rock alone, but…One look from his sister and he knew that she knew the problem that plagued him. Giving her a small smile, he nodded in understanding her intent. It warmed and saddened his heart at the same time. Tanjirou wouldn't want her to do this. To let her spill other's blood. If it was to take someones' life just to stop them, he preferred it'd be him but…

_Nezuko__,__ you don't have to do this. _He knew this fact, but it seemed that even just by looking at Nezuko's grimly determined expression, she was as adamant as him to find justice for their family and be a Demon Hunter. Any words he might say would not stop her.

If that was to be the case, then perhaps, _this is our first test from Kami-sama?_

Together they raised the rock and when the harsh splat echoed in the silence of the night he flinched and bared looking at the sight. They repeated it a few times until it hurt just even looking at it.

After what was said and done, Tanjirou took the object from her and with still shaking hands, he threw it far as away from them. He bowed at the demon, and not soon after Nezuko followed.

_Kami-sama__, _he silently prayed, _please help this man find peace. _He could only imagine the chaos that inhibited the man that made him lose himself in the first place. What monster could create a monster out of a man? The thought only made him shudder.

"Why did you two pray for the demon?"

Tanjirou's heart skipped a beat as he swiftly turned towards the voice. A tengu masked man in a hooded cloud patterned light blue haori with cloud patterns stood a few feet away from them holding the tied up lower half of the demon whose injury was halfway healed.

_I didn't even hear him! And his scent…_,he sniffed, _so faint!_

The blank gaze of the tengu mask terrified Tanjirou, and so was Nezuko if the strength of her hand holding his was any basis. "Demons were once human. I can't condone what they did but… they deserve mercy as they face death. I prayed for them to be reincarnated in a better life."

"I see. But this," he said hefting the body and tying it on the entrance of the house. "Is not dead. No weapon can kill the demons aside from the ones demon hunters wield, and sunlight. Even after you smashed its head, it will regenerate. Judging by the injuries, it would burn before it could heal itself."

_Oh_, the realization hit Tanjirou. So, he was tying the body to a place where the sun was sure to hit.

"He…," she paused. He wondered if something was wrong but when he glanced at her, his worries lifted for she only frowned at the body. "How… he must be in agony then. Poor man. To never die, and do nothing but terrorize people for blood just to satiate his hunger for the rest of his life unless stopped."

He and Nezuko went back to the house carrying the bodies now wrapped in cloth. The man, who still hadn't introduced himself quickly dug holes for the people to be put upon. After praying for the deceased, they faced the old man to ask him.

"I am Urokodaki Sakonji." The man, now identified as the man they're looking for, told them before he or Nezuko could speak. "I'm assuming you two are the ones sent by Tomioka Giyu my way."

"Yes, uhm… Urokodaki-san!" Nezuko said bowing. "I am Kamado Nezuko."

"I am Kamado Tanjirou!" He too bowed.

"I see the determination in you two." The silenced of Urokodaki-san was killing Tanjirou. He undoubtedly thought the man was appraising them both as was the logical thing to do in recruiting. "I'm going to test to see if one of you is fit to become part of the Demon Slayer Corps. Follow me."

* * *

And so they ran, from the dawn of the sun up to its peak. Despite the age he detected from Urokodaki-san's voice, he was quite fast and led them with quite a distance in between. They ran without pause that even Tanjiirou with all the breathing exercises he knew, was struggling to breathe like Nezuko.

Looking back, he wanted to help her but just a single glance she knew and shook her head.

By the time they stopped at a small house, no doubted Urokodaki-san's house, the sun was ready to set and ready the world for the moon. His labored breath was all he heard and his was ready to plop down on the ground! Far behind them, Nezuko followed closely and stopped before him kneeling her with hands on her chest.

"So…," he paused to breathe as his gaze fixed on Urokodaki opening the door, "we passed… r—ight?"

"Put your belongings in and follow me. The test starts now. We will climb the mountain."

He wanted to protest, but if this was what it took for them to be part of Demon Hunters, so be it! His joints groaned while his lungs burned just from moving, but he had to move. He needed to move.

* * *

Somewhere up on the mountain, he found it harder to breath even with all the techniques he'd gotten from practicing _Dance of the Fire God _from his father. This was the most he exerted himself in his whole life, but he was hanging on!

"Don't worry… Nezuko," he gasped breathing deeply. "We're almost there."

Indeed, they reached the peak, or so he hope he was wrong when the man stopped. The night was silent with nothing but their ragged breaths to break the silence.

"Now, from here, go back to the house at the foot of the

The moonlight above shone as a guide for all. There was no way he was going to get lost.

Urokodaki-san turned to Nezuko. "From here on out, you will have to make your way back to the house at the foot of the mountain and get there before dawn."

Her brows furrowed and a small frown formed on her face. "What about Tanjirou-niisan?"

"This test is to be done separately. I will lead him to another place. Rest assured, he will have the same test as you."

Her sister frowned, but he grinned at her. "I'll be okay, Nezuko. Just go without me. I'll definitely catch up with you."

Soft eyes hardened as she nodded.

The man led turned right from Nezuko's stop. He remembered with perfect clarity the scent of the path they went on even with his aching body as he was used to do in every situation since his sense of smell was not one to lead him astray.

Was several minutes, or was it already an hour? He wasn't sure since he lost tract of time of how long they'd been walking. The glittering moon above was the only sign of the passage of time and that time itself was still moving as no animals broke the silence nor dare cross their paths.

When the old man stopped, he followed suit. "This will be your starting point. You know the instructions. Get back to the house before dawn."

Mist surrounded the man which mystified Tanjirou. Just like that, the man was gone in a blink of an eye.

"If you thought I'd get lost." He grinned, confident that his nose would lead him back. "He got another thing coming!"

Tanjirou walked forward and yelped when something hit his face. "Rocks?" He thought incredulously still walking forward. Once more, he screamed as the ground became soft and opened. "Whoa! No. No!" he said quickly jumping barely missing the ground. His hand turned to fist, and he looked all around him warily.

When he landed on the edge on the other side, he nearly let out a scream for his body hurt since they did not have to stop in their journey. So, Urokodaki-san had set up trapped? The environment may look normal and nothing suspicious was evident, but he was sure of the hidden traps lying unused for now.

Not only was the traps his problem, but he also can't breathe! He realized too late that he had trouble breathing. By this time, he was supposed to be used by having a hard time to breathe since they live on the mountain where there's less oxygen! His lungs felt like it's just squeezing out air and taking any that it can get.

He just had to move fast! Taking a deep breath, he ran. A single fleeting, yet obvious rope getting caught up by his foot made him look at both directions to the side. Ropes came out of the ground forming a net in front of him. With a single movement, he slid on the ground barely missing the barricade by an inch from his face as he went under it but he let out a grunt and gritted when his right side flared in pain and he rolled to the side.

A sudden snap made him roll right as bamboo came crashing towards him. He wasted no time and stood once more. There was no need for haste, he thought when he took a deep breath. Haste leads to rash decisions, which he cannot afford with time and environment against him.

He closed his eyes and all the scent came wafting to him. He can _see _them all, the animals lurking behind the trees bushes to the wonderful smell of the plants on the mountain. Everything that Urokodaki touched became clearer in his mind's eye.

A log whoosh towards him but he jumped out of its way. When he landed, a thread snapped making him whip his head all around only to stand in shock as groups of bamboos sailed towards him faster than he expected. His scream was all he heard, the bamboo hitting the ground forgotten in his bodily pain vibrating through all his being.

Not one part of him wanted to give up. No. The pain empowered Tanjirou as he got up, clenched his fist, and ran once more.

Throughout the night, Tanjirou dodged traps, but most of them hit him faster than he could react. He worried about his sister, but he had faith that she could do well even if she did not have his strong sense of smell. She was his sister, a Kamado who thrived even in the coldest of snow! With a guttural shout, he faced more traps head-on.

Legs burned, but still, he walked and grinned happily when he saw the house with not one sight of the sun on the horizon. All of his relief drained when he realized Nezuko was nowhere in sight.

Tanjirou found relief when he leaned on a tree in waiting for his sister to arrive. They promised to do this together. If fell somewhere in the forest, he would come back for her regardless of the man's instructions.

"Tan—ou-niisan." Out of the bushes came out Nezuko ready to fall on her feet as he was. Her once pristine kimono rugged up by the traps no doubt, and her hair wild as a thorny flower. Tanjirou's legs became weaker with every step, still, he went to his sister who was already on the ground kneeling.

When he knelt in front of her, he fell down quickly than he liked. "C'mon, Nezuko. Your big brother is here for you." A small grunt was her response, but she accepted his help. When he stood up, his body burned all over double than it was before! But he walked towards the lone house even against all these odds.

Every step was a war against himself who wanted to fall down! But denied those feelings for Nezuko. When he reached the door, he pushed it aside with all his might crashing the door harshly.

"We—" Every breath he did punish and pleasured his lungs that he found it hard to utter words. "Have… re—ned."

Relief filled his body and loosened itself as he felt what energy he had, completely left him. _Nezuko__,__ we did… it. _He smiled even when his vision dimmed.

* * *

Urokodaki-sense, as the man should be called, trained them routinely from going downhill and evading the traps which progressively got worse with each week to sword techniques and breathing exercises on the afternoon.

Tomioka-san was right. It tested their resolve in ways he didn't expect for the training broke their body and spirit from its harshness alone. His sweet sister Nezuko, was the one that suffered the most for she was used to hard labor, but not as used as him due to her taking care of their siblings while he hunted for meat and cut wood to sell to the town.

Eventually, their training included knowledge of studying the demons as discussed by their teacher on dinner and made them read what books he had about demons and their origins.

As he trained, he couldn't help but think it similar to his training in learning their family traditional dance which also relied heavily on breathing and form.

On the start eve of the last day of the year, he pleaded for Urokodaki-sensei for a day off in training for he had in preparation for the dance. Their sensei was kind enough to allow him to prepare for the ritual and Nezuko to rest too even for just a day.

So here they were now.

He set up the torches in a circle in front of the house wearing the white and red ritual clothes his father once wore before he passed down the tradition to him. On the outside of the circle, just in front of the door, both Nezuko and Urokodaki-san sat . His sister ate slowly, her gaze watching all around them while their teacher remained silent nonchalant of the cold New Year sunset.

"Urokodaki-sense," he called their master. "This will take long from sunset to sunrise. I suggest you two rest now."

"No." Nezuko was the first to reply with a shake of her head. "Just as you watched father do this, I will do too."

"I admit I am curious as to what this ritual is and how this is done." His nose couldn't detect what he was feeling nor could he guessed what he was thinking aside from obvious curiosity.

A small smile graced his lips. "The _Dance of the Fire God_ is a ritual passed down to the eldest of our family generations ago to ward off diseases and bad fortune. There is no prayer involved since it is invoked in the dance as a plead for Kami-sama to bless us."

_I hope that this will ward off any bad fortune that may befall us._

The burden of this dance scared Tanjirou for he was not on the stage where he perfected it but his dad had deemed his performance good enough to do the dance himself.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he imagined his dad by his side still teaching him the basics and requirements for the dance. He breathed deeply many times and on his twentieth, he moved.

Everything around him, the cold, the snow, his sister, and their teacher was forgotten when he moved like the swaying flickering fire and heat of the sun. No other thought aside from the forms of the dance and his passion filled his mind. It was only him, the fire, and the fire god himself.

He moved with little movements as he remembered it to be. While he did so, he felt his body even hurt from training gaining strength. The embers that in his heart that slowly spread burned away the cold as he did the first form.

From the first form to another, he eventually lost track of time. Blind and aware of everything around him, he detected the small glimmer of everything that existed around him. The signs of life within living things.

His body hurt from, but he breathed deeply and endured it for he knew as physically weak his father than he was, he was able to do it. If Kamado Tanjuro can do it, then his eldest son can too. As he continued moving to another twisted and slowly spun then crouched with outstretched open palms to the side where he faced.

With every shift of form, his body and soul grew warmer where the ember was now a hearth that completely warded off the cold. Even if he felt the energy leaving him and his body protesting with his every movement, he was still able to move with vigor and endure the needs of his body to rest.

Movements after movements, and shift of form to another, he danced unhindered on the whole eve of the new year. Only when he finished off to the last form did he put his hands in front of his chest and put it down when level to his waist when breathed out.

Tanjirou winced, for the sore doubled, when he looked up to the sliver of the light of dawn peeking from the trees above them. Slowly he turned back to the two. He blinked because they were still there. Nezuko was asleep and leaning on their sensei while said sensei was still sitting still without a word.

"Ne—" he coughed. "Is Nezuko okay?"

Urokodaki-sensei nodded. "She cried sometime in the middle of your fifth form and fell asleep."

_Did she remember father when I did the ritual?_

"Sorry for making you watch it all night, sensei."

"Do not apologize," was his reply. "It was quite interesting. You say that this is passed on from the eldest of your family? Where exactly did you learn this."

Tanjirou shrugged and rolled off his pained shoulder. "I honestly don't know. All I know it is thought from father to son directly for generations."

The man hummed. "I see. It is quite an interesting dance to see. In any case," he stood up carrying Nezuko by his arms and entered the house. "We will continue your training tomorrow. You rest today."

Tanjirou was quite relieved to hear the training postponed. He didn't think he could stand after all of that. His body groaned at him to rest, but he still felt full of endurance and energy despite his body's protest.

* * *

:)


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to those who took that time to read this. :)

Typos, overlooked things, and editing are my enemy I can't fully defeat. :p

12/20/19: small edits

* * *

The grueling training went on after their rest on the day of the ritual. Their training more or less remained the same aside from the fact that Urokodaki-sensei wanting him to practice the forms of Dance of the Fire God in their sword and hand to hand training. He asked why would their ritual dance be included, all he got was, "to let you never forget your roots."

He suspected there was more to it than that, but he let it go because he trusted the man knew what they were doing.

So, to help in training fast he even taught Nezuko the dance in whatever free time they had.

The training increased from meditating under a waterfall, being pushed down and falling to a waterfall, climbing the mountainside, to dodging the dangerous traps going downhill. By the end of the year, he had learned a lot from the man and it showed every time he made him and Nezuko spar or team up against him. Which still ending in them eating dust on the ground.

"I've got nothing more to teach you two," he declared one day to them one day while they were out of breath from the breathing exercises.

"What?" asked a bewildered Nezuko who slightly tilted her head.

He had thought the same as his sister. A man such as Urokodaki Sakonji doesn't just run out of things to teach. He didn't seem like the man to be like that. Urokodaki-sensei seemed like a person who had something to teach, even the littlest of things.

"The rest is up to you whether you can reach the next level or not." With an order to follow, they did but not before glancing at Nezuko whose brows furrowed in curiosity and annoyance as if saying, _I don't know. Let's just see where this goes_.

Still, when he said to follow him, he didn't protest and kept the questions to himself for he knew that he would eventually tell them. Their master led them to a huge boulder on the center of a forest clearing before they stopped in front of it.

"If the two of you slice the boulder I'm assigning to you, I'll allow you to enter the Final Selection."

_Slice! _His hands holding the sheathe shook looking at it with wide eyes. _I… I don't think I can slice that with a katana alone. The katana will snap before one could slice it!_

He gestured for Nezuko to follow, but before she did, he pulled her back by the shoulder prompting her to look at him curiously. "I…," he cleared his throat. "We can do this Nezuko. We'll slice the border!"

Whether Nezuko knew he was reassuring himself by reassuring her he didn't know, but all he knew was that the doubts went away with one look at his sister.

"We will," she replied, nodding with a wide smile before following the older man.

* * *

Day and night he kept slashing at the boulder to no avail. It remained whole no matter how much he swung at it! He redid his training. He did the exercises taught to him. He did everything! He was at his wit's end that he slashed it.

"I… can't… do it!" He slammed his head against the rock and bared the pain spreading on his head without flinching. "Keep working on it, Tanjirou!"

Briefly, he wondered how was Nezuko was doing these past months because whenever they met, which was only seldom because of their last assignment, she was silent about her progress. Not that he wasn't too, because he couldn't worry Nezuko about his problem.

"Shut up!"

Chills ran through Tanjirou's body looking up at the source of the voice. A man wearing a white fox mas and white haori and yellow and green yukata underneath sat atop of the rock. He didn't even sense him! There was no scent to detect!

"A man shouldn't wine. It's unseemly." He pointed the bokuto at him. The scar of the mask only added more intimidation, which made Tanjirou back away. "That's not what you call a man."

But... who was this? The man dropped into his sword going down towards him. Tanjirou blocked the strike and let out a grunt when a kick that hit his ribs sent him flying back.

"Bear the pain in silence. That's what it means to be a man."

"Wha—"

"Get up and take your stance."

Tanjirou used the sword to propped himself up and breathed heavily only to wince from the pain on his chest. The guy must've kicked him hard than he expected.

"You're stance is weak as your resolve." Tanjirou glared at the sneering man. "What have you been doing this one year and a half if you can't even slice the boulder."

His grip on his sword tightened that it shook. "I'm trying! I keep trying but I can't progress more!"

Hadn't he thought that he did want to slice the boulder? It was their last test from the man who took them in and trained them.

Tanjirou raised his sword in defense meeting the wooden one. The ground beneath him ruffled at being pushed back. "You're a man. If there is no other way, then create your own way forward! Bear the pain, the suffering, and go through it!"

Their swords clashed and despite him wielding the sharper weapon, he was on the defense from the onslaught of the man. Every slash, slice, and strike were powerful yet required only small movement to topple and unbalance him. It wasn't so much as a kendo, it was more akin to a dance. Flowing like the water, going from one step to another seamlessly as his strike continued. The masked man kept him on his toes and constantly on the defense.

"You haven't mastered anything!" The strikes continued but he knew his defense was falling apart. "Etch it to the teachings into your bones! Carve Urokodaki-san's words into your marrow! Let your body remember the feeling.

"Show me what you're capable of!"

Screaming and gathering all the energy he had, Tanjirou ran and swung his sword across the chest then upwards which the man evaded with ease.

The man was so quick, he could barely defend himself from the counterattacks before he was sent flying. His vision dimmed, and he groaned going up but his body betrayed him and seeing small feet before darkness took him.

"Wha—" he screamed jolting awake. "No!"

The moon now shined and stared at the starry sky while ignoring his aching body. The man really did a number on him, he had to admit that he was really good! Can Tanjirou ask him to help him in his training? But he didn't exactly leave a strong scent for him to track down.

The shadow moved and all he saw was darkness when a girl same age as Nezuko sat next to him looking down at his downed form silently.

"Are you alright?" she gently asked tilting her head as her cyan eyes bore onto his curious gaze. Now that he was up, he noticed she also had a fox mask, but flowery as her white flowered patterned red yukata contrasting against her dark sleeveless haori.

"Did you see that!" he asked in excitement. He remembered the man's movements up to the last! What an amazing sight to behold even if he was on the receiving end. "Not a single movement wasted. All fluid and beautiful as a rive itself! I want to become like him."

The girl smiled making his cheeks go aflame. "I'm sure you can. Since I'll be looking over you."

He shook his head then, remembering something else important. "Teach my sister first. She didn't say it, but I know she's been having a hard time mastering the forms than I did."

While it was true she did help him out with heavy work sometimes since their younger brothers were still kids, she was not as strong nor used to labor as him. He could understand why she didn't tell him or Urokodaki-sensei, but he frowned that she should've so told him so he could help him to the best of his abilities. It was not pride that stopped her unlike him who had to shoulder everything, no, far from it. While he did appreciate the thought of her not making him worry, but he would gladly take time off his struggles in training for her.

"Don't worry. Sabito will be the one teaching her." She said as if reading her thoughts. Though judging by the knowing glint of her eye and smile, that may likely be the case.

"Who?" He wracked his mind for anyone named Sabito. Was that another one of Urokodaki-sensei's students or even a friend of him?

"The one who trained you earlier." She giggled.

"What!" He stood in shock. Of all people, it had to be him?! "He'll break her! He's too rough." He didn't want anyone harming her even if it was just training!

The girl failed to hold her giggle causing his cheeks to burn. "Sabito may not look like it, but he can be gentle. In fact," she leaned forward tilting her head side to side. "He was gentle with you earlier. It may seem rough, but it was not because he took it easy since he only wants you to learn all Urokodaki-san taught you."

Easy?! The word rang on his mind repeatedly. Just how strong was Sabito-san when it was "taking it easier on him" earlier.

Looking back at the girl, she wore a lackadaisical smile and an open attitude of honesty. He couldn't find it himself to doubt her. In fact, he trusted her words for some reason. There was no reason aside from the fact his gut felt he could trust her explicitly.

Was it those innocent smiles and those soul-piercing eyes that convinced him to trust her at face value? Either way, he did not question her and felt relieved that Nezuko was in capable hands. _Why?_ he questioned himself and prayed to Kami-sama he chose that right choice.

"I'll take your word for it, er...," he hummed while thinking of the realization she never introduced herself.

"Makomo."

"Eh, I'll trust that you're correct about him, Makomo-san." He gave his best and friendliest smile he had.

This was how he met Makomo and Sabito; the children of Urokodaki Sakonji.

* * *

The two spent their time teaching him what he did wrong and helping correct his forms and bad habits. While Makomo was gentle on her instruction and showed him correctly, Sabito, on the other hand, was rough and demonstrated only once before sparring with him to see if he really understood it.

The two said that they alternated in teaching and training him and Nezuko. He hoped that she was having an easier time than him.

He later found out that she and Sabito were orphaned but Urokodaki took them and raised them. It was no wonder that Sabito was offended when they first met since they seem to love him very much so much that they would go far out of their way to reteach and burn it into them what their master taught him and his sister. No doubt he was indebted to him and repays him by teaching people what they had missed.

He wondered why the two only appeared now. Judging by Makomo's starry glassed eyes that seemed to peer deeply into his eyes and towards his souls and Sabito's quiet self, it was unlikely they'd tell him. That did not include the feeling inside him that says it was something personal. So whatever questions he had, he let it remain unspoken.

Every week, he noticed, Sabito would be the one training him by sparring which ended with lots of bruises and face meeting the ground.

These continued for months, and in all these harrowing trainings he learned so much from the two. Things remained the same until the sixth month since he met the two. In a cold weather, he stood face to face against him katana poised to be ready for anything. His muscles went taut, but breathed deeply and let it relax. _Be like water_, adaptable and ready for the shape of any container that wished to have it.

It was just like any other training he and Sabito had before. They stood before each other like any other, except for a single great difference; Sabito wielded a real katana instead of a bokuto he used before.

Just like always, no words were said for he knew Sabito and what words he said, always struck true to the point like his swordsmanship.

He took a deep breath and saw the loose thread that connected the two of them. It was slow and fast at the same time that the moment it went taut, his hand tightened around the sword and dashed towards Sabito and swung his sword downward.

The scent of surprise filled Sabito making him freeze while letting the momentum of his sword swung downward. Clanking sound of a mask falling and hanging on the neck made Tanjirou smile and broke the silence between him and his friend. Tanjirou gasped seeing his face for the first time for it did not meet his expectations at all for the face underneath was a scarred gentle face. The gentlest one he'd ever seen and so unlike the scarred intimidating fox mask. The shocked expression of Sabito, turned to a one of rarest beautiful smile found only on a gentle face such as his. The scar marring his face didn't ruin the beauty of his friend.

Proud as he was, Tanjirou's heart panged for Sabito's smile while happy, was sad at the same time. It was as if he was relieved for reasons beyond him yet sad about something.

"You finally did it." The mist around Sabito gave him an ethereal feeling and he could feel the chill running down his spine as he did this. The mist thickened, and his voice echoed when he said, "remember the feeling in your body not just memorize it. Win, Tanjirou. And beat that guy."

He sniffed the air, but no faint scent of the Sabito nor Makomo was left. Months of training with them, he knew what their scent even with how faint it was. There was nothing left and it just vanished into thin air. When the mist lifted, he looked around in his confusion because was alone in the clearing. Just him and the split boulder that used to stand before him in silent challenge of his skills. All the air left him as he gaze at it breathless for the sword he knew that split that mask, had sliced the boulder cleanly in half.

Footsteps from behind broke him out of his daze. There was only one person who had faint steps nearly silent as the wind. "Urokodaki-sensei?"

Urokodaki shook his head. "Do not call me that anymore for I had taught you two all I know," he said reaching out a hand and inspecting the cut he did. He remained silent in his examination of the cut until he broke the silence once more. "I have no intention of sending you two to the final selection."

Indignation and worry rose in his chest but before he could say anything, the man continued, "I didn't want to see children die anymore. I was sure you wouldn't be able to slice this boulder, but well done, my boy. Well done." His chest warmed and his heart fluttered in joy when the man patted his head just like his dad did when he was young. There was nothing he could do but stare at him silently with moistening eyes.

The man hugged him. "Come on. Let's go see Nezuko. I have faith in her that she has accomplished what you just did."

One the way, he was reminded of his words. _Children die? _Who died in the Final Selection that their teacher was closed to? Regardless, one thing was clear; he was reluctant because many had died in that. Well, he promised they would be different! They would return home alive, if not themselves or even Nezuko then for him.

A little distance away from where he was, there in another clearing Nezuko jumped in joy screaming, "I did it! I did it!" that was so unlike her who was usually composed and ladylike.

Her sister grew in size this past year and he could see her growing out her worn out Kimono. It looks like he needed to buy her a new one if he had the time. Her beautiful clothes was torn and cut in the legs and the sleeves were rugged and darkened with dust

"You did it, Nezuko!" He ran towards her as excitement filled him on this great day. Both he and Nezuko did it! They finished their training. "I knew you could," he whispered while they hugged. He had faith that she could do it as well. Even if it was just a small consolation, it meant that she could defend herself from the demons that would eat them.

"Niichan?" Pink eyes widen in recognition and ran to meet him. When they met, she held on to him tightly burying her face on his chest. "It was hard, but I did it."

Hard was an understatement, but he grinned knowing that even against all odds, she made it just as he did.

"Yes you did, Nezuko." Caressing her back, her sobs decreased until it was just hiccups. "We did it. That means we can go to the final selection."

"You finished yours early?" She pouted. "I was sure I beat you to it first."

Tanjirou laughed and softly patted her head. "To be honest, I finished just earlier this afternoon. I don't count that much as beating you first."

That night, Urokodaki-san prepared a nice meal for them that must had cost a lot. But all decorum, or at lest some of it, went out of the window when they ate fast for the first time in ages. This was the best meal he had ever tasted since… he shook those thoughts out and focused on this momentous occasion for him and Nezuko.

"You really need a haircut, niichan." She pointed at his hair with her chopsticks. "You look like dad too much."

Grabbing a fist of his hair, he examined it. "Really? I haven't noticed that it grew that long." He shrugged. "I'll cut it after dinner."

"I'll cut it for you," she said gently opposing her fiery eyes that eyes his hair. Soft as her words maybe, but he knew she was adamant about it and leave no room for protest. "Just I like I used to with…" She sighed leaving her words hanging.

After dinner, Nezuko cut his hair which was too long for her liking. It sometimes distracted him by covering his vision when it stuck to his face when he sweats.

"Did you two enjoy the meal?"

Tanjirou nodded vigorously causing Nezuko to hold his head steady. "Don't move yet, niisan. Unless you want your hair to turn out good, stay still." The scissors clipped threateningly.

"Good," he replied. "That is good. You two need to be strong for the exam will be much harder. Demons of varying power will be there."

"Even those capable of _Blood Demon Arts_?" Nezuko asked.

Urokodaki-sensei opened the cabinet and hummed in agreement. "I will not lie to you and deny that question. Yes, there is. There are a few I can remember being there, but if they survive until now is hard for me to say. That is why I implore you to be careful."

After the last clipping of his sister, he turned and saw the man gave them a fox masks like the one Sabito and Makomo used. Both were dominantly white but the one left had a red sun on the upper left side, ears, eyes, and circles on the edge of the mouth. He supposed that was for him based on the pattern.

The second one had pink in its ears, right eye, and edge of the mouth. It had a ribbon pattern on the upper right just like the one she wore on her hair.

"Many have died to some demons capable of blood art. That is why I am giving you these, _warding masks_. I've charged it with protective spell that will protect you two from harm."

"Before you go to sleep." Urokodaki turned and grabbed two swords. "These are swords whose owners lost their life in the line of duty. These will serve as your sword during the Final Selection until you're given one."

Gratefully receiving it, he looked at his sister and without words the two of them bowed.

"We will cherish this gift, Urokodaki-sensei," Nezuko said before trying on her mask. "What do you think, niichan?"

"It looks good on you." He said giving a thumbs up.

* * *

Come the morning of the selection, the two of them were already up and ready to take on the final process to become Demon Slayers.

"Looking good, Nezuko." He grinned looking at her sisters pink kendogi which had lighter pink hued uwagi and darker pink hakama. Above her uwagi, she wore a lighter pink haori which with the same cloud design as his. "I'm sure you'll make kaasan proud with the lady you've become."

She fixed the warding mask she opted to put on on the right side of her head unlike his looking on the left and smirked in return. "You too, Tanjirou-niisan. I am sure father will be proud of you. And Blue suits you well."

"I will be here waiting for your return." There waiting on the door to the their home, was their master, but most importantly their father in all but blood, standing still patiently.

"We'll make you proud, Urokodaki-sensei!" Nezuko hugged the man. He gladly hugged her back and combed her hair. "We'll show the world of your teachings."

"I've no doubt you two willl."

"Were off now," he said quickly bowing. "Thank you for Urokodaki-sensei."

He ran ahead but he smelled Nezuko on his tail and getting closer. He looked behind to see her turn and waved at their teacher.

"Give our thanks Sabito-san and Makomo-san!" She waved before catching up to him.

Walking ahead of her, Tanjirou wondered why he suddenly smelled bewilderment from Urokodaki-sensei. And where were the two? Couldn't they at least see the two of them off? Guess he'd see them again when they come back.

* * *

The sight of countless Wisteria trees took Tanjirou's breath away. It was visible from far away that it makes the mountain shine like glowing sakura, but up close? Seeing it this close was different.

It was amazing from afar, but now that they were on the mountain it was pleasant to surrounded by it. Oh so sweet scent that filled the air along with the glowing wisteria everywhere and lighting the path and everywhere made the environment so surreal and ethereal. If there was a garden of the gods, it had to be similar to what they were seeing now.

He can't help but breathe faster just to take the pleasant scent in. It intoxicated his sense of smell!

"Amazing," Nezuko commented after she gasped. Her gentle hands grabbed a few leaves. "So beautiful."

Grabbing her hands, he pulled her along lest they become late to the Final Selection. He chuckled. "Come on, Nezuko. You can gaze at it later when we have the time."

At the end of the path, they climbed a stair leading to a clearing with many people nearly the same age as them. He found three stairs going upward at the end of the place.

_Amazing. _These people were much more intimidating than him with there tall and big statures. There were probably fifty people, give or take. He didn't think that the final entry process to the Demon Slayer Corp had this many people! Didn't Urokodaki-sensei said that the corps was an unrecognized organization by the government? Given that, secrecy was expected so he thought only few people would participate in this.

"Welcome to the Final Selection." Up ahead, on the end of the clearing just before the tree was two twins carrying lamps. The two wore matching kimono but had different hair color and different placement of wisteria on opposite side of their hair. He shivered at their synchronized greetings and their blank stares. "We thank you for coming here tonight to the Demon Slayer Corps Final Selection."

Did these two practice there lines to be in sync or was it a ploy to scare others?

"There are demons imprisoned here at Mt. Fujikasane captured alive by Demon Slayers but unable to leave." The left girl, he cannot be sure too much of the twin's sex if they were both male, female, or maybe one male and female. He can't differentiate not even with their individual scent.

"The reason for that is because Wisteria that demons cannot stand, blooms all year round here in this from the base to halfway up the mountain." The left one spoke immediately after the right.

He wondered how they made the trees bloom around the mountain year long.

"However, there is now Wisteria from this point on, and so demons abound."

Nezuko's hand grasped his, which he closed in gently.

"You have to survive here for seven days in order to pass Final Selection."

_Seven days. _They can do this. They were not trained by Sabito and Makomo just to fail now. He promised that he would find the killer of their family! Until then, he will live and survive for his sister and their sake.

The others ran upward haphazardly chaotic as the markets in its worst days. Not him and Nezuko. They had talked about this and sticking together was better in the long run than going lone wolf. Plus, they both knew each other's style so cooperation came easy for them for all the time they sparred against Urokodaki-sensei and against each other during the wait for the selections.

They promised each other to stay near one another when they were still going towards the Mt. Fujikasane. No demons were about to make him leave Nezuko in danger in this trial!

Differing scents went their own ways far away from each other making Tanjirou frown. Was it really necessary to go alone? Wasn't the saying "Strength in numbers" apply here with lots of unknown demons lurking? Maybe some of them were capable of demon techniques, so he saw it prudent that they should really stick together. The only upside to this was that, if they ever encountered a demon capable of demon techniques it'd be alone since they're territorial about demons going for their _prey_ or territory.

As they went further into the forest, not only was the others getting away, but the sweet scent of Wisteria faded overwhelmed by the faded blood and malice on the air. The bright Wisteria forest now replaced by dreary moonlight and abundant darkness that absorbed any light.

"Nezuko, stop." Skidding to a stop, he drew his blade and Nezuko followed suit with her back against his. "I smell demons nearby." He scrunched his nose in disgust as bloody scent that blended with the environment approached. The rancid scent of the forest was really messing up his sense of smell.

"Fresh meat!" From their left the leaves bustled. "Ha ha ha!"

"They're mine!" Behind him another scent came behind him, possibly in front of Nezuko. Glancing back, her sister's hand shook just as his. _Be strong._

Breathing deeply, he felt his body grew strong while his he let his muscles go taut. _Breath of Water Second Form: Water Wheel. _He jumped to meet the demon holding his sword aloft and swung it down. Whatever the demon was about to say, was quickly silenced by the being cut in half. When he landed, the demon was no more.

Nezuko was quick to use the first style and cut off the head. _More. _He tracked more incoming demons. Tightening his hold on the sword, he called her. "More demons." He pointed right. "Two? Three? I can't identify properly. They're too close."

Nezuko narrowed her eyes. "I see them moving in the trees. Above us." They jumped back to see the first one land, another right behind the male demon came a woman growling.

"My kill dammit!" Said the last one rushing towards them without stop.

"It's mine! Don't steal my prey!"

The second one growled and crouched. All at once the thread taut as he glanced at Nezuko who nodded. "Now!" he ordered.

"Fourth form: Striking tide!" Nezuko called.

"Seventh form: Piercing Rain Drop!" He dashed stabbing the neck of the first demon who was closest to him and separating the head quickly before turning and a quick Water wheel ended the demon's life while mid air with the demon looking at them with wide eye in shock. Probably not expecting them to strike first.

As they all started to fade, he frowned for the scent of regret filled the air. There was a indignant one but it quickly faded away unlike regretful ones who closes their eyes in acceptance.

_So this is the Demon hunting blade. _Unlike his attempt on the foot of Mt. Sagiri, this one left no evidence of them as they turned to dust.

"What's this rotten smell!" His nose scrunched from the repulsive scent filling the air. If one could multiply the smell of an month unburied corpse, the result would probably be what he was smelling. They were both demonic in attitude and smell! It repulsed him so much that he coughed and away ugly scent lingering on the air.

"What smell?" she asked curiously while sniffing the air.

"Rotten bodies." It was all he could say in this matter because the thought of of thinking of it made him retch.

Sensing that their were no demons nearby now, he put his hands together and bowed in silent prayer to the fallen humans. Their beastly forms was not their fault, he knew. Whoever they were when they were human, it was destroyed by one person. All the fault solely laid on the real demon; _Kibutsuji Muzan. _The only demon capable of creating more demons by spreading his cursed blood to them.

He prayed for Kami-sama's mercy so that they may be reincarnated into a better life and not become a demon once more. Whatever they may be now, for all the life they had taken they only deserve half the punishment for losing themselves in the demon curse for bearing something that was forced onto them.

"We need to get out of here," Nezuko said as her keen eyes looked around warily. "I can't see anything now, but I doubt that it's going to stay this way."

"Yeah." He nodded. Whether the place was safe or not was out of the question since they can't know for sure. Yeah, they can defend themselves just fine but who's to say they won't be outnumbered so they need to be mobile at night and rest only during the day. "There's no telling how many found us if those five easily found us."

They ran ahead without looking back. Nezukko looked out for anything his nose may miss. Constantly, Tanjirou whiffed the air for anything as they ran. "Northwest," he stated. "I detect two demons." Their hostile was easily detected and so they went the opposite direction. "East of us, I sense one."

He wasn't sure if the scent really was that one was just that of a singular demon for he cannot say surely when demon scent in the air overwhelming. It was better safe than sorry at this point.

All night they ran across a demon only once more before the sun rose in the sky which they spent the time recuperating by hunting and gathering for food. They took the time to rest their body for the long night. It saddened him he found not even of the participant so that he could convince them to join him and Nezuko.

* * *

Came the night, they stretched themselves. The stark difference of day and night became apparent when the stench in the air doubled than it was during the morning. The birds and whatever animals doing their business faded as if they weren't their in the first place. Not one sound came from them. Perhaps the animals knew too that these demons were unnatural and only brought death with them.

Safe as their space may be in the morning, he didn't trust it to offer the same level of protection at night. So, they ran once more.

_Sweat? _He wondered unsurely. There it southeast, a faint smell of sweat and… fear? "Southeast," Tanjirou said. "There's someone there. We got to help them!"

"Really?" Unhindered excitement and relief filled her voice. "What're we waiting for."

Nezuko ran ahead of him but he followed not soon after. She took the front while he guarded their rear as they went to their destination. Was the person still alive? Doubt filled him as he thought of this but hope was in his heart that the person was still alive by the time they arrive.

He stopped for a second in his tracks when he smelled the demon. The closer they got, the stronger the scent of blood became. This was different from the others that came before. While the others too had negative emotion in their hearts, this one bled it. It filled the air even from their distance.

It was bathed in large amount of fresh blood and this fact stopped Tanjirou before shaking it out of his system. They were going to be demon hunters, he knew fear was gonna be their friend every step of the way if all the abilities he read about demon were true.

They were near now, he could hear thundering sounds just ahead. "Nezuko, be careful." The graveness in his voice stopped her giving him time to move ahead and perch from the trees and hidden by its shadow. Peering slightly, a fellow participant ran with his fear out in full volume. He couldn't fault the other for that because he too stopped moving and stood there breathless when he saw the large grotesque monster. It was taller than any man he knew and its four hands that served as feet made the ground rumble with every step. The skin, he shuddered, it was as dirty as an uncleaned water full of trash and its entire body covered in hands hugging its large figure.

He turned to Nezuko signaling for her to stop. She looked at him in concern when she was about to ask a question he put a finger on his lips quickly.

"I didn't know there were demons like this! Someone save me!"

Behind him, Nezuko gasped when she saw the demon. He drew his sword never minding his trembling hands when he saw swarms of hands combined into a bigger one before launching and heading for their peer. _Save him. Save him. Save him__,__ dammit! Save him! _

He jumped out of the shadows and spun midair. _Water Wheel! _The numerous amount of heavy flesh landed on the ground with heavy thuds. He spun as he landed and dashed for the boy. It was taller than he expected now that he was looking at it closer. Not only that, its body was thicker than any wood.

The surprise of the demon, turned to putrid hatred and glee just by his eyes alone.

"Another sweet little fox has come to me," gleefully the demon said it. "Tell me boy, what year is the year of the Meiji now?" As he said this the lost arms grew. From that point, Tanjirou's heart thundered in his chest because he knew those arms were gonna be tough to beat especially if he could just regenerate them faster than he could cut it.

"Meiji." He didn't take his eyes off the demon for one second looking for that tautening of the thread he can only see. "It's the Taisho Period now."

Why would the demon ask about Meiji year.

"Taisho." Large eyes rolled in thought. Tanjirou jumped back pulling the boy with him when the demon stomped its feet hand. On the corner of his eyes, Nezuko's worry for him emanated through her scent. Swallowing heavily, he shook his head in hopes she would understand his message.

Tanjirou winced at the harsh scratching so much that the arms bled. The demon screamed and thrashed screaming profanities and his shock from the change of an era.

"Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Damn you, Urokodaki!"

He gathered in him his strength against these behemoth. The same strength he desired when he first saw Sabito coursed through him seeing the boy shaking behind him. "Get up!" he ordered to the still sitting teen. "Are you a man or not!? A man faces his problems head-on even with fear in his heart!"

"Fear is our constant companion, but don't let it control you!"

The boy pointed his sword shakily at the giant demon.

"How do you know Urokodaki-sensei!" he demanded cutting off it midword.

Predator-like eyes glared at them. Lingered at him especially sending chills in his body. "I know him well because he was the one who captured me. I remember it was 47 years ago during the Edo Period during the Keio era."

Air left his lungs and never returned when he gasped. _That was long time ago! _How could this demon survived for that long?

"Lies! No demon has ever lived that long!" The boy beside him vehemently denied. "Only demons who ate one or three should be the one in this exam."

It rubbed the hands on his chin. "Yes, but as you can see I survived all this time and ate fifty of you brats inside this Wisteria Prison."

"Fifty," he said as realization hit him. No wonder it's so strong! Hope didn't leave him, but the doubt grew in him that this may be just beyond them. _Just_ maybe...

"Thirteen." It laughed and snickered in glee. Hands pointed at him as the demon looked like it grinned behind those hands. Only those poisonous dirty yellow eyes expressed his happiness aside from the voice.

"What ar—"

The demon continued laughing. "Ooh, it brings me joy to eat another Urokodaki's student. It was such a long time but I remember the last two. Nothing stood out to me except those two. They were so strong. I remember his pinkish hair and scar on the right cheek and this girl in a flowery kimono. The sound of me tearing their flesh apart as pink brat lost himself and failing to cut my neck. Kimono girl, swift as she was, was too angry to see my hands trapping her and pulling her hands and foot apart."

Cold realization hit him from the image given to him by this... _monster_! Cold heart from fear lit up in his chest.

_Sabito… and Makomo…_ His hands became uncontrollable and trembled wildly. _But they taught us._

"You wanna know how I knew they were Urokodaki's students?" It laughed. "That fox mask! I can tell just by looking at it. The fox masks has the same carving as his tengu mask. Warding mask, right?" The demon maniacally laughed full of smugness. "All of them are here in my belly because of it! So, you can blame him for their and your misfortune of being eaten by me!"

Tanjirou saw red and his breathing hitched. Red fire anger burned in his chest now knowing the meaning behind his words back when he cut the boulder.

"Niichan! Don't! Don't let him control you!"

_No! Nezuko what're you doing!_ He turned to Nezuko who landed beside him. Sadness covered her being unlike his red rage that was too hot to be contained. Her other hand grasped his united hands on the sword's hilt helping to cease the quivering of his hands.

"He's baiting you, can't you see?"

Taking a deep breath, he felt his body relax. Or at least tried to for he could feel the tense in it just subsiding a little thanks to Nezuko's wisdom.

"Forgive your niichan's idiocy, Nezuko," he said calmly. If he lost himself then and there, surely he'd fall into his trap. _No! _His vengeance will be cold as the rivers on winter. "I… can't help it."

"Oh ho ho ho…" The demon singsonged in clear amusement. "Two fox cubs. This will be good."

"We're strong together." Briefly giving her a glance, he spotted her red rimmed eyes and smelled her sniffling from runny nose from crying. He had to reassure her sister. "We can take him on. For them."

"For them," she agreed.

"You!" he snapped at the third member of their group. "Your name and breath style."

His voice wavered, but nonetheless Tanjirou was thankful he replied at all despite the fear rolling off him. "Tanaka Kaito. I'm trained in Breath of Wind."

"I can smell your fear," he told him.

Nezuko cut off whatever he was gonna say next. "Escape's out of the question if you want to survive, help us. We can bring him down together."

Nezuko took the words out of his mouth.

"Even that pink-haired brat, the strongest of Urokodaki's disciple couldn't cut my neck." The demon stomped his feet and laugh some more. "Oh, what's this? You're still not running away even knowing that."

"We can't slice your neck without getting close." He glared at it and wishing it would die already.

Glancing at Nezuko, she gave a firm nod. They waited for the inevitable first strike. Three demon hunters against a demon that can attack them from a longer range, they could do this.

Their world stilled and his nose saw the loose threads being pulled and snapped taut. "Now!" he ordered just as arms flew towards them at them.

_Breath of Water Fourth form: Striking tide! _Dashing forward, he swung his sword against the many arms. The sound of cut flesh ringed in his ear constantly as he sliced them faster. His eyes snapped on the ground and jumped.

Pillar sized arms came beneath him where he last stood.

Fast as the arms were, it also grew lifeless fast as Kaito's screamed, "Dust Whirlwind Cutter!" Sword cutting through the flesh echoed below him. Four arms launched from its body all headed straight for him.

"First Form: Water Surface Slash!" Nezuko from below, reached his height and landed on the arms just as he did. Together they dashed separately running along the hands and cut the arms that stood in their way.

_Why isn't he defending himself? Not unless…_

_It's a trap!_ He couldn't believe they fell for it. The clue was in Sabito all along. But they couldn't back out now.

_Water Surface Slash! _Tanjirou's strike went for the kill on the left and Nezuko on the right. His swords hit the mark straight and true cutting through it. His relief turned to horror in a span of a second.

* * *

:)


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to all those who took the time to read and commented on my little story. :D

* * *

The sword's other half clanged on the ground, breaking the silence that developed out of nowhere. It barely made it halfway through! While he did its job, on the other side, clanking and groaning disbelief came.

"Fall back!"

Quickly he jumped to the other side and grabbed his still sister before flipping just skidding close to Kaito who was shaken as his sister.

"Heh heh heh." The demon laughed and his eyes became upside down moon-like slits, grinning behind that hand mask of his as the cut he did instantly healed. "Still too weak, boy."

"If those stronger ones before you could not kill me, what chance do you have?"

He stood frozen as fear ruled in his heart, but it was not fear of death, no. He was confident that if he could make a small cut, then it was possible to cut off the head. It was fear of not repaying Sabito and Makomo, and failure of giving closure to their fallen brothers and sisters before them, for their efforts by aiding them even in the afterlife. Fear for Nezuko and leaving her alone in this cruel world. Pushing the negative emotions down, he let himself feel the fire of rage burn within him. It was there, constantly cooled by his calm as taught by Urokodaki-sensei so as to remain in control of himself.

The demon's smugness and pungent as it's smell was making him recoil.

"Nezuko," he said. "Can you still fight?"

Her widened eyes looked at her broken sword before grunting and nodding in response.

_Good. _

"What about you, Tanaka-san."

"I… I'll live." He breathed.

This was good. There was still fight in them. As long as they can move they can still fight no matter what. The only time they would lose is if they gave up their will to live and fight. They still had more than hope. This was a chance and he was not going to waste it! Sabito and Makomo's training would not be wasted if he can help it.

Slowly, he slid back while not leaving their group off guard but sniffing the air. "Can you cover our backs again, Tanaka-san."

Their survival depended on this person's answer. If he backed out, then it'd leave him and Nezuko open for an ambush which was the last thing he wanted. Plus, she didn't have a whole weapon now, which means her cutting effectiveness was halved and she would be the one covering him while he charge.

Tanaka-san nodded even with uncertainty in his very bones and scent.

The winds changed. Screaming at the two to move, he sidestepped blade ready. Hands from the ground burst in all directions around them and came forth from the body and snaking towards them.

His muscles grew strong from his deep breath. _Breath of Water Third Form: Dance of the Rapid Current. _Fast as he could, he evaded and cut all the arms he can. Swift as he was in his strike, but more hands took its place!

This would be hard outside of a wet environment, but he gritted his teeth in preparation. _Sixth form: Twisting Whirlpool kai! _As he ran, he twisted his body swiftly and fiercely cut the numerous appendages that continuously tried to stop him. Flower scent was behind him along with sounds of cutting flesh.

"Nezuko-san!" He heard someone scream followed by a swinging sword strikes.

He was tempted to look over to the side but didn't even if the need to worry for his sister that scared him filled his soul. Only the knowledge of someone watching their back and relief emanating from the two relieved his heart.

"Breath of Wind Seventh form: Sudden Gusts!" Their brother-in-arms jumped up evident by his green haori floating midair on his peripheral vision. The wind howled for a second before fading away. When it did stop, hands hell from the sky.

When a tentacle hand came from above, he jumped and rolled left midair and cut it then flipping forward by using the cut hand as leverage when another hand came for him. Like last time, he landed and ran on the length of the arm. This time, he could see their enemy was prepared when more arms snaked around the neck. He jumped to his left and stabbing the sword at its rotund belly. Only its pained scream and his sword cutting its body as he slid down from the side echoed in his ear.

He put out his weapon before him and the body and jumped when more arms came from the body scurried towards him like a snake. Nezuko approached him, he knew for her smell was getting closer. Her half-katana gleamed in the dark as she swiftly cut the hands down and gave him a fierce look and nodded.

He jumped and landed on the other shoulder just in time for a blur of pink on the side evading arms.

_Let's do this again__,__ Nezuko! _

He breathed deeply this time that he could feel the strength increase with every second. But he winced and bared it when his muscles, lungs, and body burned in exchange. A grim determination hardened his soul even with all the pain he felt.

"Water Surface Slash!" He screamed with all his might swinging his aching arms. When resistance still met his sword, he pushed on like a torrential tide. All he thought of was the reason for him continuing to fight. In a flash, all resistance from the thick body failed as his sword went through at the same time the demon screamed.

"No! No! No! NO!" He screamed even when Tanjirou already landed on his knees skidding on the ground. "How!"

Everything around him blurred as his ear rung and his chest tightened. Despite all this, painstakingly he stood and walked towards Nezuko who had fallen or may be sent flying a little distance away. With every step he did, his body protested for him to stop but he ignored it and pushed through the instinct to just sit and rest.

"Nezuko," he called. When no response from her came, he called repeatedly until he reached her. Cradling her on his lap, he combed her hair gently best as he can. "Nezuko," he managed to wheeze out with all his difficulty of breathing. "Please talk to me."

She groaned. "Nii…niichan?"

His worry faded the moment she spoke and his grin was so wide it hurt to smile. "Thank Kami-sama you're fine. Are you hurt?"

"Not… much." She winced. "Arms... hit me when I cut him too."

"Think you can move?" She tried getting up but only ended up wincing more. "Can you wait here? I will just do something for a minute."

When she nodded, he called Tanaka-san over. "Please stay with Nezuko for a little while." The boy nodded without reluctance which he liked.

Painful as it was with his legs threatening to keel over with every step, he never wavered once as he went towards the fallen head. He knelt before it and clasped his hands together in silent prayer.

_Kami-sama__, _he started, _for all the sins this man committed__,__ let this man find peace. Let him be reborn as a human._

Whoever this man was, he had been dealt the misfortune of becoming a demon at the hands of another. A fate worse than things he could think of. The least he could do for him was let him find peace in the afterlife. It wasn't him that only was filled with sadness. The fallen being before him emanated sadness and regret looking at him. But he had a feeling what he was looking at was not him, but something else he could not see nor perceive.

_Have mercy on this man_, he pleaded when tears came out of the demon's eyes unbidden and his face desperate for something. Though he knew that the demon never gave mercy to those he killed, doesn't mean he cannot do differently. The smile he gave the demon was the same smile he gave his siblings every time fear struck them. The reassuring smile that their elder sibling would be there for them until the end.

_Sabito-san__,__ Makomo-san__,__ we did it. Please_, as he prayed, his chest burst out from the sadness inside his chest. Tears he couldn't control fell from his eyes. _Rest your weary souls._

Shuffling footsteps came behind him. "Why are you praying for him." Their new friend asked not bothering to hide his anger that emanated with his scent too. "It's a demon. They killed many people."

He didn't think that Tanaka-san would understand but he answered nonetheless. "They were humans once with the misfortune of meeting the real demon; _Kibutsuji Muzan._" He growled lowly not trying to keep his disdain for the man. The very thought of him made his anger grow bright and unhidden for all to see because he took the worst of humanity that had hope of being better and snuff everything good in a person. "He's the real demon." The demon he needed to end to stop spreading of demons.

Any good, potential or otherwise, the fallen the demon had, was gone when the _monster_ turned him to a demon.

Tanjirou was thankful no more was said about his actions. "We need to find shelter." He didn't think he could fight anymore on this night. Neither were Nezuko and Tanaka-san in a condition too if her breathing and his slumped posture were to go by. They were all spent fighting demons before they encountered that hand demon that he couldn't risk traveling more at night despite the fact it was the logical thing to do.

"I…" Tanaka-san cleared his throat. "I found a small empty cave nearby. Maybe… I—"

"Point the way."

Tanjirou guarded the two while they set up camp. Thankfully, only a few normal demons were on their way and the cave was, in fact, empty as he had said. Luckily, it was as large as barely fitting the three of them preventing any nasty surprises on the inside of it. He and the other young man took turns guarding the entrance and when it was morning they all rested peacefully under the light of the sun.

* * *

Throughout the seven days, Tanaka-san didn't separate himself from them. Which was understandable to Tanjirou knowing what they had faced on their first day. No need to kill oneself by decreasing the chances of surviving. They tried to find more, but it was only them in the entire week. They remained mobile at night and in the morning it was he who hunted while the two guarded their camp.

When the seventh dawn appeared on the horizon, they wasted no time until they reached the Wisteria trees and followed the line. Their clothes dirtied and ragged, their bodies drenched in sweat and tears, and their soul battered by the endless demon that kept on finding them.

Nezuko limped from a claw a demon did that was why she was being supported by Tanaka-san. Tanaka-san's haori turned to a bandage to stop the bleeding injury he had on their fourth night. Tanjirou's arms hurt, especially his right arm, which had a large gash since he was their first defense.

They kept walking until they reach the same clearing they were on their first night here on the early rise of the sun.

To see sunlight refreshed him! The dreary forest painted a less than stellar image of the light of life above them that only served to lessen the darkness on that forest.

"I… I made it!" He gasped. "I… really did." Their comrade fell to the ground kneeling hands over his face. Happiness, relief, fear, and excitement rolled of his being all at once creating a myriad of scent that combined to something pleasant. "Thank Kami-sama! Thank you Tanjirou-san and Nezuko-san! I promise I will repay you."

He wanted to clasp the teen's shoulder, but he winced just moving. So instead, he grinned. "You don't need to thank us. It was a team effort."

Nezuko giggled and winced. "You don't need to repay us. You living is enough for us."

"Thank you!"

"I'm sure you're tired, Tanaka-san," he said reaching out to Nezuko. "I'll support her here on out."

He shook his head defiantly. "No." It was the firmest voice he ever heard uttered by their friend. "This is the least I can do for helping me."

"Niichan!" Nezuko frowned then glared at him. "Your shoulder's hurt. We only did basic first aid to it. You're not in a situation to help me."

"Okay." He sighed knowing it was futile to argue with her.

As they walked to the center of the clearing, three people were already there waiting; a girl with pink-themed kendogi, a bright yellow-haired boy with equally yellow haori with triangular patterns all over, and lastly a boy in purple in sleeveless haori and dark purple yukata who smelled like a demon than all of them combined.

Why was that? It was a curious case for Tanjirou to smell someone strongly resembling a demon. He glared at Tanjirou as if feeling his gaze to which he only stared back calmly.

They didn't bother with each other and did their own thing.

The one in yellow seemed to be the most anxious of all of them with his loud mutterings of, "I'm going to die!" and such. His clothes were worn out as the three of them were and the least of rugged was the

On the table just a few feet in front of them, the scent of rock was clear to him even if it was undercover. He wondered what it was going to be used for.

Any wondering that he had was cut off when he smelled the familiar scent of the twins, now smelling like lavender come from the side. The twins came from the side walking in tandem side by side.

"Congratulations." From the stairs came the twins in the same kimono as before. "We are pleased to see you safe," they said bowing at the same time.

"So, what am I supposed to do now?" Impatiently, the boy in purple demanded. His wild hair on the center lining up to his back and scar on his right cheek to his nose served to only multiply the intimidation he had along with his sharp eyes. Though he doubted the two were scared based on their the same neutral expression boring onto them with their purple eyes nor did they smell of any fear. "Where's my sword!"

Tanjirou frowned, which was apparently mirrored by Nezuko. She looked calm, but anyone who knew her would know that curving of lips meant her ire was rising.

"First we shall issue you all uniforms after which your ranks will be engraved."

"The ten ranks are…." The twins recited the ranks by alternating each other completely in sync as if they practiced it in the mirror. They were on the lowest rank, the _Mizunoto_ and with the greatest demon slayer as the _Kinoe._

"And my sword?" The scarred teen demanded once more.

"Behind us are the ores for you to choose from for your sword, but before that." Both clapped at the same time. He could smell birds getting close. The birds cawed. Tanjirou nearly screamed when a crow on his shoulder roughly pulled on his battered haori before settling unlike Nezuko's who only sat there gracefully. Her crow cawed and flew to his before pecking the crow on his shoulder.

He stuck his tongue out at his rude crow.

"These are Kasugai crows assigned to each of you. The crows are primarily used for communication."

"Crow?" asked the yellow-haired teen. "But…"

_That's a sparrow_, he thought silently laughing.

"Who cares!" the impatient one marched towards the twins. Tanjirou had a bad feeling about this. His intuition rang true when he roughly grasped the girl's hair and pulled her close to him. "I want a sword. Gimme a color-changing sword right now!"

Tanjirou could not stand this! Who does this person think he was demanding to be given one right now. Didn't he hear that they still had to choose ore for their sword?

Nezuko's anger radiated off her. He didn't stop her when she let go of him and marched furiously and swiftly towards the rude teen. When she approached him, she grasped the wrist of his offending hand. "Let her go," she growled anger radiating off of her.

"Or what, _girl_."

Tanjirou narrowed his eyes. No one insults his sister. She may look fragile, but she was strong enough to help him carry wood to sell to the town before. After their training? He was proud of how far she came. Her anger was just as heated as his behind her calm visage.

A vindictive feeling rose within him when he screamed and let go of the girl. He may show mercy at times, but to those who deserve punishment by hurting others, he may not interfere with it. As if that wasn't enough, she tripped him and flipped him into the ground earning a pained groan from him.

Okay, maybe that was a bit too much. On second thought, he deserved that for the slight he did against the girl. Though looking at the fire in her eyes, it didn't look like she had plans to stop anytime soon. So he had to be the voice of reason for her.

"Nezuko!" he called her with his seldomly used firm voice as he went by the right twin girl's side. "Are you okay?" the girl looked at him plainly and nodded.

The scarred one glared at him with anger visible even if he did not use his nose. They stared at each other before he grunted and looked away. Nezuko winced and stood unbalanced. He reached out to her but Tanaka-san caught her first and let her put an arm around his shoulder for support.

"Are you okay, Nezuko-san."

"Yes," she said calmly. He knew she glared at the hotheaded person.

"Are you finished chatting," the white-haired twin asked.

When he nodded, they were gestured to stand before the covered ores. "Now then, please select the ore of your choosing. The ore of your choosing will be the metal your sword will be made of. Please choose wisely."

_But… they all look the same. No. _He corrected himself. _Similar. Their scents vary from each other._

The others, including his sister, glanced at the ore with caution as none dared to pick up first.

"I have absolutely no clue." Even the arrogant teen on his left was left in silence.

Closing his eyes, he detected something pleasant. Something his guts told him was familiar. How familiar, he had no idea but his instincts never failed him before. As he picked out the scent, his hands reached out to the one he chose and grabbed with it without hesitation.

As they chose, the twins picked up their ores and put them in different small boxes. After that, the two measured their body. "Your uniform will be delivered in ten days and the sword will be delivered in fifteen. Are there any questions."

None of them asked anything which prompted the two to bow. "We bid you safe travels," the two said before taking their leave and leaving them to themselves.

The pink one was the first to leave, followed by the yellow one. The impatient one grumbled all the way down with his annoyance clear for all to see. Soon it was just him, Nezuko, and Tanaka-san.

"So." Tanaka-san rubbed the back of his neck chuckling awkwardly. "I guess this is it. I'm sorry!" He bowed.

Tanjirou only quirked his brows in wonder as he looked at Nezuko who shrugged. "What for? It's not about the repaying thing is it? As we said, you don't need to repay us. We did it because we wanted to help."

"No… it's… when we were facing that hand demon I almost wanted to run and leave you. I'm sorry! Please forgive me."

He did? Tanjirou didn't feel anything but only an understanding of his plight. That was a terrible foe they faced, and he couldn't begrudge him for wanting to escape. In fact, it shamed him to think back that if the demon didn't kill Sabito-san and Makomo-san then he wouldn't have remained there and decide to run to safety.

He pulled him up and looked him in the eye. "Don't be. I understand that it's our natural reaction. Trust me, when I first fought a demon I was scared too and I wanted to run, but we," he gestured to himself and Nezuko, "can't. So, we had to stand our ground. Right, Nezuko?"

"Yeah," she replied. "It's normal to feel afraid. We just can't let it control us. You can't believe the fear I had when I saw that demon." She shuddered.

"You heard her," he said grinning. "So, don't sweat it, 'kay."

"I…" He nodded fervently and giving them a once-over. "Anyways, will you two be okay?"

"We'll manage."

The two of them waved at their friend who grew smaller with every distance. He sighed, he didn't want to let Nezuko limp her way home. No. They better rest for the day and just go home tomorrow.

"We'd better stay the night here for now." When Nezuko looked at him questioningly he was fast to reply. "I don't want you walking with that kind of injury."

Her mouth opened and closed for a few seconds before she reluctantly agreed. "Where do we sleep?"

"Under the trees." He shrugged. "Since you wanted to see the sights, sleeping here won't be a bad thing. I still have some food that'll last the night so don't worry about it. I can give you my haori in case you get cold."

It looked like Nezuko wanted to protest but relented to his request.

* * *

The first thing in the morning after eating what remained of their food and checking Nezuko's feet. Seeing as it was less painful than yesterday, they set out on their journey home.

"Can you walk?" he asked they walked down the mountain. Occasionally, his eyes would glance at her injured leg and her face to see if she was feeling any pain.

"I'm fine." She groaned.

He just shrugged. "Well, we can't be complacent can about your injury, we?"

Rolling her eyes, she huffed. "Hypocrite. I don't see you worrying over your arm when it's still worse than injury. Isn't that why you're using your left arm to support me."

_Busted. _He grimaced at being found out. Not that he'd admit it to her at that time since he didn't want to worry her more. It was his job as the elder sibling to worry, not hers. Also, it wasn't as painful as yesterday so she didn't need to really worry about him. Her on the other hand, unlike the arms, they still had a long way back so he had the right to worry about her leg.

"Not really."

When he turned to look at her, she gave him a dry stare that he interpreted as, _really? _but nonetheless said nothing as they continued on their way.

"Tanjirou-niisan," she called. He hummed in question and turned to her. "I just noticed that your scar on your forehead became smaller and redder?"

He blinked confusedly. "Really? I didn't notice that. I don't feel any different so I'm guessing it's not dangerous."

"Does it hurt?" He shook his head in amusement when soft finger poked it while giggling. "Your scar really looks different from dad's now. I wonder if this is a gift from Kami-sama."

"How so?"

She only shrugged in return. "A good luck mark?"

"Well," he said with a forlorn smile. "We're lucky to be alive. Does that count?"

Her lips curved upwards a little but said no more.

He was thankful that on their journey back her injury did not infect. An anxious part of him was scared that her injury would get infected but thankfully his knowledge in first aid taught by Urokodaki-sensei was sufficient in making it heal right.

His breathing heavy and uneven and his body sore but he did not let go of her once nor did he voice any complaints that may worry her more.

On the third day, relief filled him and when he turned to his sister, delight was on her face. "We made it." He laughed. "We can finally let you rest Nezuko."

A wry smile formed on her face. "C'mon niichan. Just admit you're tired too!"

"Nah, I may be slightly tired but I can continue." He shrugged. Nezuko just laughed at him.

Knocking on the door, he opened the door gently. "We're home." Their voice echoed on the small house.

Their teacher, their father in all but blood drank tea calmly then stood and walked towards them. Never did Tanjirou expect him to do this in a thousand years to stand and hug them. He may not see what expression he had behind the mask, but he could smell his relief and joy as Urokodaki hugged them. The positive emotions he held was a pleasant as the scent of untouched water; pure and calming.

The anger, fear, happiness, joy, and relief that he held back exploded as the tears came out unbidden while rubbing his sister's back who fiercely hugged the man too. For the first time in two years, he had cried once more. Many times he had thoughts and nightmares while thinking that he was going to die and leave Nezuko alone in the world! That he had to leave his promise to their family unfinished.

The thought of him just watching her and unable to feel her was nightmare enough for him. Was that the same feeling Sabito-san had when they trained them? Why Sabito-san smiled sadly when he passed the final test? That maybe he and Nezuko would die and leave the old man alone and silently wallowing in his guilt?

"You two came back." His voice remained steady but the happiness of the man exploded as their relief was. Wet trails came from his side that he was sure was not his own sweat.

"We…" Nezuko's word broke into pieces that he couldn't make it out. "I… Sorry for not helping Sabito and Makomo-chan!"

The man's strong calloused yet gentle hands circled their back. "Don't be. It is not your fault for fate took them earlier than they deserved. They would not like you to dwell on what happened to them.

"Come," Urokodaki pulled them up with him as he stood. "I have prepared a meal for your weary souls."

Their celebration was filled with silent joy as they ate without one utterance and appreciating each other's presence. Tanjirou took that time to get his bearings straight and relax his weary body. It also meant him eating with one hand since his other was in a sling. It also meant giving him time to think about the hand demon, Sabito, and Makomo. Things he was reluctant to think about right now.

"So, you defeated that morphed demon," their teacher began breaking the silence. "At last." His relief rolled off of him regardless of the calmness of his voice. Hope and relief filling their master's words that he couldn't help but smile and hoped it was because at least they alleviated the pain of losing his thirteen _children_.

_Now__,__ the children of the mountain will be able to move on. _They would not worry anymore about Urokodaki-sensei. The two of them may not be able to bring them back, but at least them being able to make it back put his heart and underlying guilt at ease.

"I'm sorry for breaking the sword." Nezuko presented the sword to Urokodaki.

He shook his head. "It matters not. A sword can be reforged and made anew, your life cannot be."

"Tell me of your training with them," he then said.

Tanjirou had a feeling that he was itching to ask them this. It was not every day that you see people from the afterlife interact with the living. He wondered if it

Nezuko was the first to explain. He already knew it as she told him on their way to the Final Selection. Makomo calm as she was when they first met really hid a fierce nature as evidence of her annoyance at Nezuko for being "unladylike" in her whining. He chuckled the first time she told him this event because Sabito did scold him too.

If Urokodaki-sensei thought of anything what they went through with the two, he never voiced it or interrupted their telling and only silently drank his tea. When they were finished, he was still silent. Would he be sad? Happy? Or surprised that his children helped them.

"Sabito was always like that. He may appear ruthless and intimidating but behind those sharp eyes is a gentle person." Urokodaki sighed. Tanjirou could imagine a wistful smile behind that mask. And

"And Makomo. That girl was gentle and shy, but she can easily see through people, including the tiniest details. She found the wrongness of your techniques. As for Sabito, he wasn't as aware as Makomo was, but he had good intuition and an unconscious grasp of the techniques and that's why he taught by sparring and demonstration. Those two…" He shook his head. "Even in the afterlife they worry about me that they did their best to prepare you.

"You two should rest after dinner," he said before sipping his tea once more before standing and going outside.

"Do you think he noticed my mark?" Tanjirou asked when the silence crept in.

She shrugged with a light smile on her face. "If he did, he did not say anything."

* * *

Just as was said, on the fifteenth day, he opened the door to someone with a woven hat with chimes and beige sunflower patterned robe carrying a large box. The man stood there still and he could feel the stare even behind the mask.

"My name is Haganezuka. And I have forged Kamado Tanjirou and Nezuko's sword."

"Good morning, Haganezuka-san!" He greeted with a smile. "Come in—eh?"

He scratched his cheek in confusion because the man sat on the ground uncaring of him and unsheathed a gleaming sword with a gentle caress that would make any lover jealous.

"This is a Nichirin sword."

"Uh, you really should come in—"

"Tanjirou-niisan?" Nezuko poked her head beside him, curiosity on her face. "Is someone there?"

"It's the deliverer of the sword," he replied not taking his eyes off of the man.

"Deliverer!" The man's hat chimes rang when he looked up and revealing a Hyottoko mask when he called him out indignantly. "I personally crafted these two swords and personally deliver them myself, hmph!" What annoyance he had simply turned to surprise that he can imagine a grin behind the mask when he stood up. "Oh, oh my. Children of brightness! Though I can see it more prominent in this young man. I'm very lucky."

Nezuko joined him outside. "Children of brightness?" Nezuko looked at him for answers to which he shrugged in confusion. "Wha—"

"See, how your hair and eyes are of reddish color?" He leaned back when the man pointed at said parts but he nodded slowly. "When kids like you are born on a family that works with fire, it is usually a cause for celebration. There's a chance it will turn red!"

Turn what red?

"Among the six of us, only Tanjirou-niisan inherited most otou-sama's traits. I barely have his eyes." Yes, that was the case now wasn't it? He remembered seeing her mom looking at him sadly when she thought Tanjirou doesn't noticed her forlorn gaze.

He smiled sadly. "Well, there used to be six of us but it's only Nezuko and I now. Seven if you count otou-sama."

"Six!?" He spluttered before keeping his cool. "I see. That is unfortunate. Anyways." He welcomed the hands that shook his own and returned the gesture.

Her efforts to make him go inside as common courtesy demands were for naught as he ignored her too and explained away the properties of the sword. Telling them what their sword was made of and explained the fact that it absorbs sunlight. He explained in great detail how it was forged in Mt. Yoko where it doesn't rain allowing the sword to absorbed sunlight.

Eventually, they managed to make the man come inside. So, here they were now before Urokodaki-sensei with Haganezuka-san beside him while he and Nezuko sat before them sword in their palms.

His sword had red diamond patterns hilt and a round guard with lines from center going to outward circle. Glancing at his sister's, hers was a reddish pink hued diamond pattern on the hilt of her sword with black sakura leaf-shaped guard.

"Go on." He flourished forward with his arm by waving it clearly unable to hold back his excitement. "Draw it. The Nichirin blade changes color depending on the bearer."

Slowly, Tanjirou drew his carefully inspecting the sword with keen eyes but only got the silver-ish reflective nature of the steel. When was it supposed to—

He gaped when the blade from the guard and all the way changed color as if painted by unseen hands of the gods. The silver hue dimmed, the blunt side of the sword was gray and the sharp edge a darker color but becoming red going to the tip of the sword.

He blinked at it in confusion. It was an odd choice of color for him really. Gray and black, he thought suited well. But the thin red on the edge of the blade after the black was weird for him.

The edge of Nezuko's blade shone brighter than before for the sharp edge turned more reflective silver and the blunt side of a darker yet still silver hue.

"Black." The man huffed. "Silver!"

"What!" he said curious and wary at the shocked tone the man had. He smiled at Nezuko when they realized they said it at the same time. _Is it that bad?_

"It's not bad, is it? Is it unlucky?" he asked in worry. Did the Demon Slayer Corp judge a swordsman's worth by the color of their sword? Why such a reaction? Black wasn't so bad. Or did it? He hoped it wasn't.

"What about silver?" Nezuko's face morphed in worry but said it calmer than him. Behind such expression though, he detected the scent of her hidden worry.

"Not necessarily," their sensei replied. "But you don't see pitch black swords often. As for silver, I admit that this is the first I have seen a blade like that."

"Black!" the blacksmith screamed finally out of his stupor. "Damn it! I was hoping I'd get a red sword!"

When the man jumped at him, Tanjirou moved to dodge but Nezuko shielded him from the wild man and peeked behind her. "But, silver!" she said. "Sensei said it's the first he'd seen."

"It has a red tip!" He pointed at the said part. "That's better than no red."

The man stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms humming in thought. He looked at him then turned to gaze at his sister. "I suppose you're right. My misfortune of forging a black sword is offset by your unique silver. That will interest the others."

"What does it mean to have one?"

He shrugged at Tanjirou's question. "I've no idea. I've read no record that describes a silver Nichirin blade. But, this is a great moment! I'll tell the others of this when I get back."

A black bird, birds, he corrected himself, came through the window cawing and landing on the window sill. It was their crows, he recognized his scent on the right one while Nezuko's on the left.

"Kamado Tanjirou," his shrill-voiced crow said

"Niichan, did the crow—"

He nodded slowly not sure what to think of it. "It talks."

"Kamado Nezuko."

"Here are your orders." He shuddered when both shrill and cute female spoke at the same time. It reminded him of those kids at the Final Selection, so in sync. "Go to a town northwest of here. Young girls have been vanishing there night after night. Hunt down the demon and kill it."

"Prepare well for this task!" Nezuko's crow said before the two started to fly. Nezuko's crow pecked and flapped its wings at his before flying away.

After the eccentric blacksmith left, the two of them gathered what they would need. While Nezuko gathered their small pack containing food and first aid kits, he set about retrieving freshwater by the nearby river.

When they were done, they sat in front of the man that took care of them for the last two years.

"Now that you two are starting out as Demon Slayer Corp, I need to tell you a few things. First is the uniform you're wearing is made from a special fiber. Low level demon can't scratch it with their claws or talons. It is breathable yet repels moisture and won't easily burn."

"It's that strong?" Nezuko asked before he could. He pulled the fiber but it really didn't feel any different than other clothes at all. Still, he marveled at the things that the Demon Slayer Corp can do. Nichirin blades, tough clothing material, some kind of magic if the fox mask they wore was to go by. Who knows what more they could do!

"Regarding your swords. The color of the blade differs from every user that no two blades are the same. Black, as I've said earlier, is not seen often so little is know about them and their users. It is often said that those who wield a black blade won't go far." When the man said this, he could feel Nezuko's gaze on him but he wasn't worried about a superstition like that.

If it comes to that later, then he'd deal with it but until it became worrisome he wouldn't put much stock on such tales. It just added unnecessary vague worry for him he didn't want.

"But I know you will get far Tanjirou-kun. I see it in your eyes."

He slightly turned to Nezuko and Urokodaki-sensei and smiled. "But, it isn't all black. It has red on the blade, so I guess it's not all bad. Plus, even if I did not go far, just the thought of helping those who needed it is enough for me. I don't need to advance in rank to do that."

Urokodaki hummed and nodded at his words but otherwise continued. "Nezuko's silver blade is unknown to me. Never have I met someone with a hue such as her. But if I do find anything about it, you will be the first to know via kasugai crow."

Before they departed, Urokodaki-sensei cooked them a meal. He and Nezuko refused but he was insisted this one time because on his own words, "just as demons grow strong by feeding on humans, young demon slayers need to be strong by eating."

"We'll be going now." They bowed at the man.

It was already nearing midday, can they reach the town before evening hits?

"Before you two leave, I have one last thing to teach you."

He perked up at this. "I thought you didn't have anything to teach us anymore?"

Urokodaki nodded. "True. It is up to you on how far you can go with my teaching. But this one is difficult to do, thus I did not include in your earlier teachings. It would not do well at that time. I recommend you do this on your spare time.

"It is called, Total Concentration Constant Breathing. Once you master this, your endurance will extend, and your strength enhanced more allowing you two stand against stronger demons. You practice this by using Total Concentration Breathing all day and night. If you can't, just do it as long as you can."

He paled. Total Concentration all day?! Doing it in techniques seem hard enough! Yes, it seemed hard and a tall order but not all impossible. Nothing was impossible with the right mindset. Still, he felt that it would require everything they had just to do it. With the fires of determination burning in his chest, he, they would master this! To survive and to come home alive.

"Thank you!" He was shocked when the two of them said it at the same time. A small smile formed on Nezuko when he glanced at her.

"Hold on a minute." Urokodaki-sensei went to Nezuko and fixed her long hair that was tied in a ponytail. A second later, he was in front of him and fixing his collar and the strap of his pack. Patting his and Nezuko's shoulder, he pulled them into a hug.

A warm feeling spread in his chest making him smile involuntarily. "Be careful, you two. And take care of each other. I'll be waiting for you here."

"We'll come back home alive." Nezuko nodded.

"Tanjirou," the man whispered. "Take care of her, promise me. And take better care of yourself too."

For Tanjirou, he did not need to say it out loud, the warm feeling that came from him

"Definitely." Tanjirou nodded firmly. "I promise."

* * *

:)


End file.
